A vintage rare S.A.S.M railway Sterling Silver pin badge plus Rand Pioneers and Stilfontein Mine pin

A vintage rare S.A.S.M railway Sterling Silver pin badge, circa 1902, in very good condition. There is a name with the date: 24/3/02 scratched on the back of the badge, which can only refer to the year 1902 which was the year they ceased operations in South Africa. The NZASM was formally dissolved in 1908. Note: NZASM is also sometimes called SASM in South Africa.

The stamped manufacturers name on the back reads: KENNING - LONDON and is that of George Kenning and Son a firm based in London. They manufactured the first AA lapel badge worn by one of the first directors of the AA which started operating on June 19, 1905. George Kenning was a goldsmith and masonic medallist, with premises at Little Britain in the City of London, Liverpool and Manchester. He was the son of an East End oyster seller, was a well-known supplier of masonic wares including badges, gowns and other items. He developed a newspaper called The Freemason and also helped develop new masonic orders which he would then supply with the souvenirs and props he produced. The height of his badge making was between 1890 and 1910.

The Kenning name is now part of the Toye Kenning and Spencer Ltd who currently are based in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham, and are one of the worlds oldest family businesses and Holder of Royal Warrants to HM Queen Elizabeth II. For more than 330 years, the Toye family has manufactured regalia, jewellery, embroidery, medals, uniforms, ribbon, insignia and a broad range of other items to private customers and iconic institutions. The brand is continuing its three centuries of craftsmanship into the 21st century through four separate brands - Toye Kenning & Spencer, London Badge & Button, George Kenning & Son, and Benton & Johnson.

About Z.A.S.M:

The NetherlandsSouth African Railway Company (Nederlandsche Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorwegmaatschappij; Nederlands-Suid-Afrikaanse Spoorwegmaatskappy) or NZASM (also sometimes called SASM in South Africa) was a railway company established in 1887. The company was based in Amsterdam and Pretoria, and operated in the South African Republic (ZAR) during the late 19th century (from 1887 to 1902). At the request of ZAR president Paul Kruger, the NZASM constructed a railway line between Pretoria and Lourenço Marques in Portuguese East Africa (now Maputo in Mozambique).

The NZASM archives may be found in the South African National Archives in South Africa; the Dutch National Archives in the Netherlands; and in the archives of the Zuid-Afrikahuis and the Dutch Economic History Archive (NEHA), both in Amsterdam.

Note: There are three vintage pin badges in total. Please see photos.