Description
This is an older vintage 1930s Art Deco Junior High School Pendant Pin in gold plate/fill with blue and white enameling. Front reads “M Jr HS”. Size measures 1/2″ across in diameter. iThe pinback rod is 1930s Art Deco era where the rod pushes down into the center of the clasp and then you close it with the lever rather than later clasps where the rod pushes in underneath the clasp. It has a shiny pebbled gold front with a matte gold back. The back has engraved J. L. O. initials with a space between each letter. It came from an estate in Westchester County, NY many decades ago and is likely associated with the NYC public school system during the Art Deco era. Other than needing a good polishing it is in very good used condition. All original. Never altered or repaired. The dark spots you see on the enlarged photo are minimal on the pin itself. Clasp work well. The ring bail for a necklace is secure.
AI identification:
Yes, this is an authentic vintage/antique American class pin from a junior high school.
The Design & Era: The stylized, geometric lettering and the prominent, central triangle are classic hallmarks of the Art Deco period. This dates the style of the pin roughly between 1925 and 1940.
Narrowing the search down to New York significantly shrinks the historical pool of options. During the Art Deco era (late 1920s through the 1940s), New York pioneered the public junior high school system, and “M” names were highly prominent.The color choices provide an excellent clue: dark blue and white enamel. Because class jewelry catalogs were ordered regionally, this pin almost certainly points to one of a few major historical public school systems in the state.
Top New York Candidates for “M. Jr. H.S.”
Mont Pleasant Junior High School (Schenectady, NY)The Match: Schenectady opened the massive Mont Pleasant facility to older students in 1930. Historically, Mont Pleasant’s dominant school colors have always been dark blue and white (or blue and maroon variations over the decades).
Middletown Junior High School (Middletown, NY)The Match: The city of Middletown’s older public school systems have used blue and white as their definitive school colors for generations. In the early 20th century, their secondary schools frequently ordered catalog-customized triangular class pins.
New York City Public Junior High Schools (The Boroughs)
The Match: In the 1930s, New York City junior high schools often went by standard numbers (e.g., J.H.S. 98 or J.H.S. 44) but were heavily nicknamed after the major streets, neighborhoods, or historical figures they sat on. Examples include Montauk Junior High School (Brooklyn), Macomb’s Junior High School (The Bronx), or Manhattanville Junior High School (Manhattan), many of which utilized corporate blue-and-white motifs for their student clubs.
