SILVER KEY HISTORY
The original article of organization of the Society stated that officers would be elected annually an that they would include a "Keeper of the Silver Key" whose duty was to acquaint "gentlemen or other natves of Ireland or those of Irish extraction with the organization and invite them to contribute. The Silve key was designed by the famous Boston silversmith Jacob Hurd in 1738 and has remained the property of the Charitable irish Society since then.
The Silver Key is made of sterling silver and is a
three dimensional key with an oval handhold, an articualted shaft, an embossed blank and a
ball terminal. It is engraved on one side with a contemporary inscription "Georgius
II Rex" and an engraving of King George II in profile facing left and wearing a
laurel leaf crown. On the reverse, the key is inscribed in contemporary script,
"Hibernia 1738" and it is engraved with a crowned harp, the arms of Ireland. The
key is 4 1/2 inches lang and 1 5/16 inches wide. it is marked Hurd in an oval cartouche on
the bourder of the rim of the household with Kane mark (c), Hurd in script in an oval
cartouche, used from 1729 to 1740.
