Gorgeous ca 1890 Hingham MA Fire Dept Hose 1 Presentation Silver Badge of Lt. H. W. Hersey

This gorgeous Presentation Hingham Massachusetts Fire Department Hose Company #1 Lieutenant  Badge is exquisitely jeweler made in engraved and profusely enameled coin silver. The front reads:

HINGHAM

LIEUT

HO1SE

FIRE DEPT

On back is engraved in lovely cursive:

Herbert W. Hersey

A

token of esteem

from

"the Boys"

Presumably "the Boys" were the other members of Hingham FD Hose Co. #1. 

The badge has a huge heavy T pin on back, which apparently kept the badge very safely pinned to Lt. Hersey's chest, as there is no damage to the enamel, except for a couple of tiny, light, surface scratches. 

Herbert Weston Hersey was born in Hingham in 1867, and eventually headed west, residing in Nevada in the 1930's, and ultimately California, where he died in Los Angeles in 195This explains how Hersey's badges traveled across the country, as this gorgeous badge recently came to us after making it all the way to the other side of the country, being found in Southern California, having stayed together for over 125 years with the Hingham Fire Ward badge also worn  by the same man. 

An incredibly beautiful piece of Hingham Massachusetts Firefighting History.