[0.925 SILVER] Great Britain - 20th century, 1911 - Charles S. Green & Co - Badge depicting a Laughing Kookaburra (Bird, Ornithology, Biology)

Birmingham, Charles S. Green & Co., 1911
Weight: 45.8 grams
Dimensions: 78 mm x 58.7 mm
An oval decorative plaque, designed to be hung, featuring a colorful depiction of a bird perched on a horizontal branch. The design is set in a silver frame topped with a large, circular loop. Its shape and construction suggest that the object may have served as a medallion, a pendant, a watch chain charm, or a decorative fob.
The depicted bird has a massive, elongated beak, a stocky build, a light-colored head with a dark stripe running across the eye, bluish wing patches, and a rusty-yellow, transversely spotted tail—all of which identify it as the Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), an Australian member of the kingfisher family. The choice of this motif suggests that the pin may have been produced for the Australian market or as a souvenir associated with Australia, although the silver piece itself was made in Birmingham.
The bird is depicted in profile, facing right, in an upright position. Its silhouette has been precisely rendered with fine lines and subtle patches of color. The breast is rendered in shades of white, cream, and pale pink; the back and head are outlined in black and gray; and the wing is accented with shades of blue, navy, and brown. The eye is highlighted by an intense red ring. The beak has a gray-blue surface with a pink rim, and the tail features warm, yellow-brown coloring and regular dark spots.
The background of the depiction is a uniform, deep black with a subtle greenish-blue sheen at the edges. The bird’s light silhouette stands out clearly against the dark background. The branch is painted in a freer style, using shades of gray, purple, and green. The decoration was created using the painted enamel technique, reminiscent of miniature painting on metal. Individual parts of the bird were rendered with fine lines on a light background and then preserved by firing.
The enameled tile is set within an openwork silver frame made of two spirally intertwined strands or wires. The twisted motif forms a sort of cord encircling the entire oval field. The plate is mounted in the frame using four small mounting tabs arranged along the sides. A narrow, openwork gap was left between its edge and the frame. At the top, a solid, round loop was attached for hanging the object on a chain, ribbon, or cord.
The reverse is closed with a smooth, oval silver plate. It bears the full set of British hallmarks: the maker’s mark “C.S.C,” an anchor—the mark of the Birmingham Assay Office, a striding lion confirming 0.925 sterling silver, and the date letter “m,” corresponding to the year 1911.
The plaque represents an interesting fusion of British goldsmithing with Australian natural history iconography. The kookaburra, known for its distinctive laugh-like call, was one of the most recognizable symbols of Australian fauna and was frequently depicted on jewelry, souvenirs, badges, and items intended for residents of the British dominions. The precision of the miniature painting and the decorative silver setting give the item the character of a small work of artistic craftsmanship.
Condition: as shown in the photos.