Page 904 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht

The candlesticks [right] are also of quite
unusual form for Chinese silver, but luckily an
inscription on them throws light onto their
resason for being and, possibly, the previously
illustrated “mystery” ladle.

The inscription reads: “TSL Golden Dragon
Chapter. Tientsin, China, December 1934”

On January 15th, 1931, the Triangle Service
League [TSL] established the Tientsin Golden
Dragon Chapter in Tientsin. The United States
15th Infantry Regiment was deployed in China
and based at Tientsin from 1912 -1938.

Some years previous to 1931, the TSL was
established by the Headquarters Office of the
US Army and Navy and the Navy Department of
the YMCA as a service organisation.
Establishing chapters near many posts and
stations of the US armed services, it sought to
inculcate within its members the fourfold ideals
of the YMCA: to build up all servicemen
physically, mentally, socially and spiritually.

Tientsin also had other chapters and masonic lodges as well as a Rotary Club and an American Army Polo Club.
The Tientsin Golf Club boasted an 18-hole course and a horse racing course.

Tientsin was home to a significantly large population of American forces. Consequently, a whole supply industry
grew up in Tientsin which was serviced by Chinese merchants and a significant Russian Jewish population who
had fled Russia and had also settled in Tientsin. Y.C. Company was probably part of this supply network.

Knowing this, the set of seven
silver tunic buttons bearing the Y.C.
Co. mark is not as mysterious as it
otherwise might appear - probably
made as a souvenir item or a
special order for a military of naval
person based in Tientsin who may
have been imminently homeward
bound.

The buttons would date to circa mid
1930s.

Images courtesy of York Minster
Antique Shop, York, UK; Heritage
Auctions, Dallas, USA; Skinner Inc,
Boston, USA

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