Posted 7 years ago
TassieDevil
(175 items)
Hello everyone.
This is a favourite piece to show you.........
Victorian Gilt Banded & Bullseye Agate Locket Back Pendant on Period Chain with Buckle Bale
I bought it locally online in 2013 for only $36.00 which surprised both myself and the seller!! Neither of us could understand why there was not more interest in it. Anyway, I was more than happy to have it!!
I guess it would be classed as costume as it isn't precious metal or stones, but it has been made very nicely I think with the banded agate with the little bullseye agate set around the edge.
The locket back still has the original woven cloth in it. I guess this could be regarded as a sentimental piece or love token and may have held a photo or lock of hair.
I love the bale on this.....it is like a buckle.....probably some kind of symbolism in that.......I haven't looked that up!
The seller said the chain was of the period.....it is really nice and a good weight too.
Hope you enjoy this piece.......thanks, Judy
The whole thing weighs 55gm which is really quite a lot around the neck!!
Interesting and lovely !!!
Thank you Martika!!
That's a beautiful mourning locket. Are you sure that the woven bit is cloth and not hair? Normally, the hair kept in a mourning locket was woven.
Judy, you were lucky to get it at that price!
I love these lockets with banded agate cabs around, the price of banded agate pieces is puzzling for me, it seems to be specially prized by Anglo-Saxons :-)
I don't think the chain is of the period, though it completes well the pendant, rather an italian link used later, clasp isn't that old, but only a feeling :-)
The buckle on Victorian jewellery (rings, brooches, lockets etc) is actually a garter. Victoria was the head of the Order of the Garter and like she started so many jewellery fashions (Scottish, Jet etc), she also started the fashion of buckles.
I've never seen a little buckle bale though. It's a nice touch.
PS, it's not necessarily a morning locket. There was a whole language of hair. You could have your hair professionally made up into a variety of styles & pieces or ladies could buy guides on how to make their own hair inserts & jewellery.
Some were love tokens, others mourning. Matriarchs would have designs made up from locks of their children's hair.
There are some great articles on it.
http://www.victoriana.com/Jewelry/victorian-hair-jewelry.html
https://www.morninggloryjewelry.com/victorian-hair-jewelry-aid-52.html
Agree with kyra about the date of the chain. Spring clasps are a 20th Century invention so your rope chain would have to date from the very end of the Victorian era, which was 1901.
Thanks Bonnie!!
Definitely cloth, not hairwork.....I have seen it before in brooches that haven't had their locket back used. I regard this piece to more likely be sentimental rather than mourning......to me it just hasn't got "the look" for mourning.....
Agree with you and Kyra regarding chain and clasp, thanks I really had not given it that much thought.....slap on the hand needed there lol!
LOL Judy! I've never seen woven cloth in a piece of jewelry, so something new for me.
Thanks Pascale, yes I was very lucky!! I love everything about this piece and it ticked all the boxes of everything I like too!!
As I just said to Bonnie you are both right about the chain and clasp......thanks and for reminding me the chain is Italian looking :-)
I have two necklaces and a matching bracelet all in that same rope design. I prefer it to link chains.
I agree - the chain is modern, and not the right color gold, either. LOVE the locket - wish we could see inside!
Hello Jewels1900,
A garter.....thanks so much....of course it is, thanks for the reminder!!!
Found these earrings with similar fitting......
https://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/earrings/dangle-earrings/whimsical-wearable-victorian-banded-agate-earrings/id-j_175412/
Agree with you Jewels, think it is a sentimental piece rather than mourning.
Thanks for the info and the links, appreciated!!
Thanks Glass, glad you like it.......and yes it does doesn't it.....Scottish jewellery is lovely!!
Thank you Val....I think it is too!!
Thanks Bonnie, the chain is really nice isn't it.....a bracelet would be lovely to wear!! Your ones are probably real gold?? that would be nice :-)
Hi Celiene, thank you.......yeah I wish we could too!!
PhilD, Mike, Martika, Bonnie, Pascale, Bijou, Aura, BTLens, Fleafinder, Elainep, Karenoke, Hel1, Glass, Ken, Val, Kiwipaul, Vetraio and Karen.....thanks very much everyone for the love.....very much appreciated!!!
This is the link to a brooch I posted a while ago that has woven cloth which is a pinky colour in the locket back
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/201885-creepy-daguerreotype-picture-brooch
Zilla, Steptoe1 and JImam, thanks very much everyone, really appreciate the love!!
Caperkid and Thomas!! Thanks to you both for the love, always appreciated!!
Manikin, thanks very much for the love!
Scott, thank you for the love, always most appreciated!!
The bail is made from a smashed buckle ring - what a neat idea for reusing a damaged item!
Oh really Davyd!!! Thanks, I would not have guessed that!! Glad you like it!
Thanks for the love Bijou!!
Roddy and Nicefice, thanks very much to you both for taking the time to look and love!!!
Thanks Sean, appreciate the love!!
Appreciate the love Vintagelamp, thank you!
Thank you for the love Lamplover!!
Appreciate the love Jean, thank you!
Thank you Jan and Rose for both taking the time to look and love, it is very much appreciated :-)
Appreciate the love Wandless, thank you :-)
Thanks for the love Aura, always appreciated!!
Hi Mary, thanks for the love, always appreciated :-)
Thanks so much Jenni for the love, as always,very much appreciated :-) )