Description

A rare enamel and silver suffragette 'Holloway Prison' brooch, circa 1909, designed as the portcullis gate of the House of Commons, set to the centre with a broad arrow symbol applied with enamel in the suffragette colours of purple, white and green, the corners of the portcullis each suspending a length of chain, length 2.7cm, signed Toye & Co. London Designed by Sylvia Pankhurst, this brooch was awarded to suffragettes who had been imprisoned for their protests in Holloway Prison, presented to them upon their release. The subversive design combined the iconography of prisoner's uniforms with the suffragette colours, making it a potent symbol of the struggle for women's suffrage, described by the WSPU newspaper Votes for Women in April 1909 as 'The Victoria Cross of the Union'.

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A rare enamel and silver suffragette 'Holloway Prison' brooch, circa 1909, designed as the portcullis gate of the House of Commons, set to the centre with a broad arrow symbol applied with enamel in the suffragette colours of purple, white and green, the corners of the portcullis each suspending a length of chain, length 2.7cm, signed Toye & Co. London Designed by Sylvia Pankhurst, this brooch was awarded to suffragettes who had been imprisoned for their protests in Holloway Prison, presented to them upon their release. The subversive design combined the iconography of prisoner's uniforms with the suffragette colours, making it a potent symbol of the struggle for women's suffrage, described by the WSPU newspaper Votes for Women in April 1909 as 'The Victoria Cross of the Union'.

Estimate 1 000 - 1 500 GBP

* Not including buyer’s premium.
Please read the conditions of sale for more information.

Sale fees: 31.2 %

For sale on Wednesday 10 Jul - 10:00 (BST)
wiltshire, United Kingdom
Woolley & Wallis
+4401722424500
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