Welcome backstage — our backstage to the most exciting theatre of spectacular traditional ceremonial of the British Army. Among the events still enacted are The Queen’s Birthday Parade, The Edinburgh Tattoo, Beating Retreat by the Massed Bands and Drums of HM Royal Marines, Trooping the Colour, Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London, Firing of the Royal Salute by The King’s Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery, the Guard of Honour of The Queen’s Colour Squadron of The Royal Air Force - the list goes on and on. Our equipment is worn or carried on all these occasions.
It all started over 150 years ago here in Birmingham, in 1850 to be precise. Frederick Narborough recognised a niche business when he saw one and seized the opportunity to set up a small workshop to specialise in the manufacture of hand crafted sterling silver mounted walking canes for the gentry. The cane was Malacca or hand turned ebony. The sterling silver mounts were made by silversmiths in a variety of bespoke patterns according to the wishes of the client. A range of patterns for immediate sale was also provided for the “gentleman in a hurry”.
The business grew and started to expand its product range into riding and hunting whips, many mounted in precious metals as well as hand carved ivory or hardwood heads. Over the years the cane business expanded into ceremonial equipment for the military and police forces of the world.
The company was registered as silversmiths at the Birmingham Assaye Office in 1859. British hallmarked silver is an international seal of quality. Dalman & Narborough is renowned for the production of ceremonial drum major’s staffs for military and civilian use to this day. Sterling silver drum major’s staffs are still being manufactured. Many of whom have been created for HM Royal Marines, the United States Marines Corps (President’s Own) and many other military formations both in the United Kingdom and world-wide.
The company also became specialists in the production of Scottish ceremonial regalia, including bonnet badges, plaid brooches, doublet buttons and badges, waist and cross belts for broadswords, together with dirks and sgian dhubs. Highly decorative sterling silver bagpipes mounts became a speciality and are still in demand from the finest bagpipe makers in Scotland. The company has its own in-house silversmiths, spinners, turners, casters, platers, enamellists and polishers.
The aim of Ammo & Company remains the same as throughout our history: quality, reliability and the ability and drive to give “Service to Service” and maintain the old standards and traditions of its past.
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