Share your favorites on Show & Tell

Circa 1788 English Gold Mourning Brooch

In Fine Jewelry > Mourning Jewelry > Show & Tell.
Manikin's loves19166 of 40064Octagonal ChairHAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL CW Friends!!
24
Love it
0
Like it

GianaMZGianaMZ loves this.
NewfldNewfld loves this.
vcalvcal loves this.
TreasureHunter-1TreasureHunter-1 loves this.
martikamartika loves this.
ElisabethanElisabethan loves this.
auraaura loves this.
ho2cultchaho2cultcha loves this.
lundylundy loves this.
RadegunderRadegunder loves this.
melaniejmelaniej loves this.
Toni1969Toni1969 loves this.
Truthisanarrow08Truthisanarrow08 loves this.
TreyTrey loves this.
VladimirVladimir loves this.
SEAN68SEAN68 loves this.
EfesgirlEfesgirl loves this.
themusethemuse loves this.
NewtimesNewtimes loves this.
ManikinManikin loves this.
kyratangokyratango loves this.
racer4fourracer4four loves this.
jscott0363jscott0363 loves this.
kerry10456kerry10456 loves this.
See 22 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 8 years ago

    vintagelamp
    (1094 items)

    Circa 1788. 1ins by 1.25ins high. Gold mourning brooch with sepia on ivory colored panel depicting a woman seated beside a tomb with the initials W.M.C and near the woman are the initials J.W. There are pieces of hair glued within the image.

    Inscribed to the reverse is 'JW ob 12 Nov 1780 A 38 Yrs', 'CWW ob 22 May 1781 A 5 Yrs', MW ob 26 July 1781 A 7 Yrs', JL ob 13 Feb 1788 A 39'.

    logo
    Mourning Jewelry
    See all
    FINE GEORGIAN PORTRAIT MINIATURE MOURNING WOMAN HAIR NAVETTE PASTE LOCKET GOLD
    FINE GEORGIAN PORTRAIT MINIATURE MO...
    $195
    FINE SMALL GEORGIAN HAIR EMBROIDERY ED MOURNING HAIR ART PICTURE LANDSCAPE
    FINE SMALL GEORGIAN HAIR EMBROIDERY...
    $45
    ANTIQUE VICTORIAN MOURNING HAIR LOCKET SILVER BOHEMIAN GARNET PENDANT 13.9g
    ANTIQUE VICTORIAN MOURNING HAIR LOC...
    $113
    ANTIQUE VICTORIAN MOURNING PENDANT NECKLACE LOCKET 2 PIECE LOT GOLD FILLED
    ANTIQUE VICTORIAN MOURNING PENDANT ...
    $57
    logo
    FINE GEORGIAN PORTRAIT MINIATURE MOURNING WOMAN HAIR NAVETTE PASTE LOCKET GOLD
    FINE GEORGIAN PORTRAIT MINIATURE MO...
    $195
    See all

    Comments

    1. Efesgirl Efesgirl, 8 years ago
      Beautiful!
    2. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      Efesgirl, Thank you!
    3. Celiene Celiene, 8 years ago
      It is stunning. What does it say on the back? Are those death dates?What is that back substance that looks like seaweed on the front?
    4. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      Celiene, Thank you! I am not sure what the seaweed substance is. Perhaps there were pieces of hair glued to it. Yes, those are the deaths on the back and the last survivor is listed in a little different script.
    5. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      Celiene, It looks like the father and two children ages 7 and 5 died around the same time. Perhaps that is the wife's name last after another marriage (?)
    6. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      Inscribed to the reverse is 'JW ob 12 Nov 1780 A 38 Yrs', 'CWW ob 22 May 1781 A 5 Yrs', MW ob 26 July 1781 A 7 Yrs', JL ob 13 Feb 1788 A 39'.
    7. Celiene Celiene, 8 years ago
      It is some kind of liquid, or was at one point. I don't think hair melts. I'd take it to an expert to see if it can be cleaned, or kept form becoming more damaged. It's so pretty and sad! The two boys must have died of something contagious, being so close. There is a tombstone near me that has like 8 children all dying in the Spanish Flu epidemic within weeks of each other.
    8. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      I believe that it is supposed to be a branch of some sort.
    9. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      VERY BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!
    10. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      jscotto, Thank you!
    11. kyratango kyratango, 8 years ago
      Wow! That's a beautiful mourning early piece!

      You're right, it is sepia miniature, with tiny pieces of beloved deceased hair.

      The o or ob is for Latin word obiit (deceased)
      A is for Latin aetatis (at the age of, aged)

      I collected mourning pieces for years, always preferred those with inscriptions as they are poignant temoignages of children mortality ...

      Can't identify the branch, but there is always a strong symbolism in mourning or love pieces as yours!

      It doesn't seem to be damaged, but the miniature beeing paint on an ivory wafer, keep it in temperate ambiance, avoiding sun, moist and heat (lamps in display cabinet!).
    12. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      kyra, Thank you so much for all of the information! I believed the branch was some sort of symbolism and not some type of damage, so your comment has certainly reassured me. I really do appreciate all of your informative comments. I had previously commented on your moth/butterfly enameled pin. It is funny that I ended up with the same pin. I had forgotten that you had one of them!
    13. kyratango kyratango, 8 years ago
      http://artofmourning.com/2006/01/17/symbolism-meaning-objects/
      Look all, there are plant, animals symbols too
    14. kyratango kyratango, 8 years ago
      For the moth, I nearly forgot even myself, lol, too much stuff ;-D
    15. Manikin Manikin, 8 years ago
      What a beautiful piece of history and done so tastefully .
    16. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      kyra, Wow! What a great Link!!! Thank you!!!

      Manikin, Thank you so much!
    17. themuse themuse, 8 years ago
      What a beautiful piece of history, thanks for sharing!
    18. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      themuse, Thank you so much!
    19. Celiene Celiene, 8 years ago
      This is why Anti-Vaxxers drive me crazy! 1780-81, Smallpox epidemic in England,. Anthrax, and Dysentery.

      https://books.google.com/books?id=KC0AAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA368&lpg=PA368&dq=epidemic+england+1780-81&source=bl&ots=bD7ZEylemU&sig=JIRQ6e39BzdY9ieFnAXOV1CIS2Y&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjB4LbS16LKAhUK-GMKHWPZAsUQ6AEIKDAC#v=onepage&q=epidemic%20england%201780-81&f=false
    20. Celiene Celiene, 8 years ago
      I, too, am drawn to the mourning tributes many children who died in one family of NOW curable and preventable diseases. (My focus is Cemeteries, though. And sadly, there are not many really old cemeteries in California!)
    21. Celiene Celiene, 8 years ago
      Hmm - there was also an Influenza epidemic in May 1781 (London, Suffolk, Devonshire, Surrey).

      This is one reason women had many, many children. Not only to work farms etc., but to hopefully ensure the survival of one or two to adulthood. SAD! (And fascinating! To me, anyway!)
    22. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      Celiene, Wow! Thank you for this information. Now it makes more sense. A member of my family has the initials "JW." I actually bought this for her. I wish that I knew the last name... I research like you do so this is VERY interesting to me also.
    23. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      I have ancestors in VA, SC, GA and FL going back several generations. I remember seeing some of the cemeteries where, virtually, entire families died at the same time. I have family members in San Bernardino/ Lake Arrowhead but I have never been to CA.
    24. SEAN68 SEAN68, 8 years ago
      Beautiful!!
    25. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      SEAN68, Thank you!
    26. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      Mudwoman, Thank you for your kind comment. I am hooked on morning jewelry now. I just got the mourning ring that I posted.
    27. kyratango kyratango, 8 years ago
      Mudwoman! I'm a huge fan of Nell, the green Lady!
      Here is the post about her:
      http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/146633-the-green-lady-cornelia-nell-flint?in=collection-3923
    28. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      Mudwoman, The "Green Woman" is my favorite of all!

      kyra, Thank you for linking Mudwoman to Nell! Hope that you are doing well!
    29. kyratango kyratango, 8 years ago
      Hey Vintagelamp! I was so happy to see another admirer for Nell :-)
      Of course have to love her again!
      More posts please, you are too rare here ;-D
    30. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      kyra, Special surprise for Valentines Day coming...
      Thanks for loving Nell again. She is starting to feel like an adopted family member. I hope that you have heard of the person I will add next. She is REALLY an original!!!
    31. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      brunswick, Same to you, Thomas!
    32. Elisabethan Elisabethan, 8 years ago
      Wonderful ????
    33. Elisabethan Elisabethan, 8 years ago
      Sorry, tryed to make a flower not questionmark.
    34. vintagelamp vintagelamp, 8 years ago
      Elisabethan...Looks like flowers to me :)

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.