Charles Horner jewellery of Halifax UK

Charles Horner jewellery | CH jewellery History.

Once of Halifax UK, this company produced a wide range of items from jewellery to buttons, ornaments, hat pins and thimbles. Famous mostly for the Art Deco silver jewellery it produced. However they also made a wide range of costume jewellery, ornaments, buttons, hat pins, thimbles and other metal and plastic items.

Charles Horner himself lived from 1837 to 1896. He started his jewellery business in 1860. Producing first silver jewellery. Later he became more well know for his Art Nouveau silver and gold hat pins, Art Nouveau pendant necklace as well as his twisted wire silver and paste knot brooches. In 1884, he patented the Dorcas thimbles. These thimbles were made to be more hard wearing than the softer and more pliable previous thimbles available. Thimbles were made up until 1947. His two sons and partner continued after his death. Eventually expanding the business into a very large company. 

One range was the Staybright shiny metal jewellery, with dimpled surfaces that glitter and were a poor man's “marcasite” reproduction style. The Staybrite jewellery is now very collectible today. 

There was also a wide range of cameo pieces produced in casein – a type of plastic. This range was called "Dorcasine" Very recognisable and also now very sought after.

Books are available on the jewellery and ornament range for further information. However most Charles Horner costume is unsigned and can be difficult to identify. Mainly because over their long history. But many of the silver pieces are - with the stamp CH. 

Sadly the decline in sales brought about the companies demise in 1984, when it went into liquidation. 
We have just some of the Charles Horner jewellery and accessories found on my travels.

Updated September 2023

Gand H jewellery identification

G to H jewellery identification.

Following on from our alphabetically arrange designer jewellery information from Victorian to modern trademarks, tags, signatures and hallmarks. All the photos included to help you identify are our own. that means that we have sourced and owned the actual jewellery at some point. 

A- B | C - D | E - F | I - J | K - L | M - N | O - P | Q, R - S | T, U - V | X, Y - Z  | 

Garne - 1940s - 1960.A  smaller jewellery company probably based in New York, America. They produced glitzy jewellery that was often handcrafted. Pieces that are signed Garne (with an accent over the e) have been found also signed Coro (same jobber) and they were known to have D & E makes some of their pieces. Their logo is Garne in joined-up writing on a slant with a small crown above. They made Garne necklaces, earrings, bracelets and brooches.

Gaskin Arthur - Husband and wife team with Georgina Gaskin. Arts & Crafts era, linked with Birmingham.Various designs used from Italian Renaissance to Scandinavian folk art. The headmaster of the Vittoria Street School of Jewellery and Silver-smithing in Birmingham. Botanical plant drawing was part of the curriculum, this was then used in their designs.

Gaskin Georgina - Wife of Arthur Gaskin - Most jewellery was produced by her. see below.

Gaskin Arthur - Husband and wife team with Georgina Gaskin. Arts & Crafts era, linked with Birmingham.Various designs used from Italian Renaissance to Scandinavian folk art. The headmaster of the Vittoria Street School of Jewellery and Silver-smithing in Birmingham. Botanical plant drawing was part of the curriculum, this was then used in their designs.

Gems TV - 2004 - 2010. 2011 - 2013 to today. Now known as Gemporia, UK jewellery TV channel selling silver, gold and gemstone jewellery originally. Now has an online presence.

George - 1990s - today. Clothing brand available at Asda stores. Fashionable and value for money range.

Ges Gesch - just means "Made in Germany" in German. Short for Gesetzlich Geschutz. It is the German meaning for trademark, copyright or patent. 

Gerrys - In production from the early 1950s to the mid-1990s. This US jewellery company produced different pieces from Christmas, cameo to floral and other motifs. Classed as an average quality and worth collecting.

Hart May - Skilled enamellist who use plique-a jour techniques. Married to Fred T Partridge.

Giusti Louis - This Italian painter by trade has been producing jewellery since at least the 1950s. He has recently passed away. Signature is L G in a plain tag with a heart shape on its side. The L.G. is enclosed within this.  

Goody - 1920s USA company that manufactured in America dress clips and hair accessories in metal, diamante, plastic and other materials.

Grau David - David Grau was in business from the late 1980s to early 2000s. Not in production since 2004. Sold good quality jewellery and was based in Barcelona, Spain.

HAC - See Hattie Carnegie.

HC - See Hattie Carnegie

Hart May - Skilled enamellist who use plique-a jour techniques. Married to Fred T Partridge.

Henkel & Grosse - 1907 - 2005. From 1955 this company produced Dior jewellery. Good quality costume jewellery. 

 Hobe - 1887 - today. Cie Hobe founded his gold jewellery company in France, Paris. But it wasn't until 1927 when the costume jewellery was produced. It was Cie's son William, who took over this line in America. He made the Ziegfeld Follies costumes and jewellery in Hollywood in the 50s. Where he became famous and the stars loved his pieces. Almost always marked with Hobe. In the 2000s, the original company sold on to another. Before then all the jewellery had been designed by members of the Hobe family. Still in business today, with a new and different style.  

Hodel Joseph - Arts & Craft's designer. Member of the Bromsgrove Guild of Applied Art in Birmingham. Produced floral leaf and fruit patterns in silver with semi precious stones. He made buckles, brooches and pendants.

Hollywood Birmingham Manufacturers - Bloxidge Brothers from at least 1929 until the 1980s. Signed from the 1950s - 1980s found. Very similar to Exquisite with some of the moulds used, but copying was rife in the pre 60s era for many companies? Unsigned earlier jewellery can still be found if it is still in its original boxes that are signed. Sole manufacturer of their jewellery at one time was Woolworths. Which of course is now gone
Since writing the above: An advert came to light with a D Ackerman and Sons of London. That they were the "creators of Hollywood jewellery" as well as the Ainette brand. I have a theory that the Bloxidge Brothers made the jewellery for this company, which they then sold under the name Hollywood. - but this will need to be confirmed.

Hollywood (Joseff )- USA company. 1928 - today. Eugene Joseff started in 1928 in Hollywood. Starting out making historical costume jewellery for Hollywood films and productions. He was pretty savvy and rented them out rather than sold them. Originally with his brother Jimmy Glaser. He founded Sunset jewellery manufacturers. After his brother left. Joseff continued and it is said that in the 30s to 40s, he made about 90% of the costume pieces in films. Most of the jewellery along with jewelled daggers, breastplates and other ornamental accessories used when filming is still owned by the company. In 1937, he expanded to retail and started selling jewellery in stores across the US. Tragically in 1948, he died. Crashing his aeroplane that he was flying. His wife Joan and partner took over until her death in 2010 at 97.  The company also made jewellery for Dallas and still today their pieces can be seen in TV productions.  

Hong Kong Following the cessation of the British Empire in the sixties. Hong Kong began to import jewellery across the world. Cheaper than most of the established manufacturers, this contributed to many of them closing. Signed Hong Kong on the clasps. Now collectable in its own right. 

Honora - US company that have been trading since the 1950s in quality and affordable jewelry. Now specialise in selling freshwater pearls in all sorts of jewelry and in all sorts of colours. Plastic removable tag with Honora in capital letters. 

Horner Charles - See the blog post for this company once based in the UK in Halifax.