ell ery ▁Qu arter ▁existed ▁with ▁high ▁standards ▁of ▁production ▁set ▁out ▁by ▁institutions ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁B irmingham ▁Proof ▁House ▁and ▁B irmingham ▁Ass ay ▁Office . ▁The ▁B irmingham ▁M int ▁also ▁became ▁intern ation ally ▁ren owned ▁for ▁its ▁high - quality ▁co ins , ▁as ▁did ▁Cad bur ys ▁for ▁its ▁ch oc olate ▁and ▁workers ▁w elf are ▁and ▁rights . ▁ ▁With ▁such ▁a ▁vast ▁array ▁of ▁items ▁being ▁produced ▁it ▁was ▁in ev itable ▁that ▁not ▁all ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁of ▁high ▁quality ; ▁and ▁the ▁adv ances ▁of ▁the ▁industrial ▁revolution ▁enabled ▁machines ▁to ▁mass - produ ce ▁che aper ▁items ▁such ▁as ▁buttons , ▁to ys , ▁tr ink ets ▁and ▁cost ume ▁j ew ell ery . ▁ ▁The ▁poor ▁quality ▁of ▁a ▁proportion ▁of ▁these ▁gave ▁rise ▁to ▁a ▁pe jor ative ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁word , ▁" B rum mag em ▁w are ", ▁although ▁such ▁items ▁were ▁not ▁exclusive ▁to ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁The ▁significant ▁button ▁industry ▁gave ▁rise ▁to ▁the ▁term ▁" B rum mag em ▁button ". ▁Charles ▁Dick ens ' s ▁novel ▁The ▁Pick wick ▁Pap ers ▁( 1 8 3 6 ) ▁mentions ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁term ▁for ▁counter fe it ▁silver ▁co ins ; ▁but ▁Samuel ▁Sid ney ' s ▁R ides ▁on ▁Rail ways ▁( 1 8 5 1 ) ▁refers ▁to ▁it ▁as ▁" an ▁old - f ashion ed ▁nick name ▁for ▁a ▁B irmingham ▁work man ". ▁ ▁By ▁the