Mourning locket

[Cynthadia]

Again...another piece from my partner's mother's estate. This, purportedly, is a mourning locket. The enamel work is stunning, including the enamel necklace part. I don't know what to make of this one.

 

[artdecogirl]

Gorgeous piece!!! I love enamel Are those stones in the center? I can see a center pearl but what are the other parts of the design?

 

[Cynthadia]

Gorgeous piece!!! I love enamel Are those stones in the center? I can see a center pearl but what are the other parts of the design?

I'll try to get a better picture. In the meantime, the other stones are very small diamonds.

 

[stci]

This necklace is beautiful and if it was me, I would keep unchanged. Really a beautiful piece!

 

[jewelerman]

What a beautiful locket! blue is my favorite color enamel.I don't believe its a mourning locket because of the color.Correct mourning etiquette dictated that it must be black for full mourning and half mourning allowed dark purple.This piece was made towards the end of the popularity of mourning jewelry and pearls were incorrect because of their color which was saved for weddings and baby christening and blessings. It should be considered a love token or sentimental jewelry that would hold a loved ones hair or photo or paper with their hand writing.

 

[Cynthadia]

What a beautiful locket! blue is my favorite color enamel.I don't believe its a mourning locket because of the color.Correct mourning etiquette dictated that it must be black for full mourning and half mourning allowed dark purple.This piece was made towards the end of the popularity of mourning jewelry and pearls were incorrect because of their color which was saved for weddings and baby christening and blessings. It should be considered a love token or sentimental jewelry that would hold a loved ones hair or photo or paper with their hand writing.

I didn't know that a locket to be identified as mourning jewelry, "must be black for full mourning and half mourning allowed dark purple." I also didn't know that "pearls were incorrect...love token or sentimental jewelry."

That makes perfect sense!!!

I'll take a picture of the back side of the locket. In the interim, I'll describe its contents. It looks like a piece of velvet. The material is shaped to fit the locket and is burgandy in color. To me, it looks like a piece of lining from a casket - hence my initial belief that it was mourning jewelry.

The chain appears to be fabricated. Whether it post-dates the locket is unknown. However, the workmanship on the chain is exquisite. There is a small bit of wear on one (perhaps two) pieces of the enamel on the chain.

I've attached a close up of a few links in the chain. It's a bit fuzzy, but that's the best I could do for now.

 

[stci]

Ho! Was sure the chain baguette was lapis... really look like IMO.

 

[Cynthadia]

Re: Mourning locket - UPDATED PICTURES & INFO

Here are some updated pictures of the locket. I'm including a picture that shows some wear of the enamel on one link. The rest of the links show no wear. I got to see the locket under microsopic exam. Very cool to see the hairs inside.

Comments from gemologist:

1. Very fine enamel work.
2. Measurement for chain: 23 inches
3. Enamel turned on a rose engraver lathe.
4. Engraving visible under enamel.

As it turns out, the chain is the original chain.

Enjoy!

 

[iota15]

Wow. That's stunning. I'm not mourning but I'd wear that in a heartbeat.

 

[LGK]

With that stunning blue, definitely not mourning jewelry for sure. The guilloche enamel is killer! I love that it has the matching chain. I'd suspect the chain is original, it looks right at least in pics. Or it was a very skilled jeweler who matched it to the locket.

 

[Cynthadia]

Here's a full on picture of the locket. If you look closely, you can see the 'ding" in the chain.

 

[Winks_Elf]

Very pretty! Lovin' that blue.