Posted 8 years ago
Bettyb00
(197 items)
The mourning bead necklace is incomplete unfortunately and the french buckle/dress clips are bakelite or celluloid?
1940s mourning bead necklace & French bakelite dress/belt buckle clips | ||
| Costume Jewelry5719 of 9178 |  |  |
Beautiful!
The necklace isn't specifically a mourning piece, black was very fashionable then (1920/1930).
For the buckle (not dress clip!), Valentino will say, she is Bakelite queen :-)
Little clue: celluloid is very light weighted, bakelite has more density ;-)
Thank-you you are so knowledgeable! I do realize the beads (and the colour black) could be worn just as a fashion necklace and what you say is true but did you know these necklaces were specifically worn by widows (hence the wedding cake beads signified marriage )and the black glass or vulcanite or whatever the black bead was signified mourning.
These beads are 1920s or earlier.The buckle /dress clips are 1940s.
Never heard about association of wedding cake beads and mourning :-/, mourning attire was rather codified.
I would be interested in documentation about this association :-)
I can only offer you anecdotal information about the beads-they belonged to my great grandmother she wore the necklace as a piece of mourning jewellery and the wedding cake beads symbolised a union of marriage.Perhaps your local library will have the information you are looking for:)
I did not know fashion was so "codified"
After all mourning jewellery was a fashion:)
Thank-you Valentino for your lovely comments.I also am no expert on mourning jewellery:)I also think the buckles are a mixture that's why I had the question mark at time of listing.