Posted 12 years ago
bbrunelle
(14 items)
Was this a mourning piece? I have this small 7/8 inch across hand etched heart that I have wondered about for years. The material appears to be shell like – looks like the shiny part of abalone. The light and dark parts were engraved separately and then glued together.
The white part of the heart is engraved GRACE in beautiful Victorian script. Surrounding the name is delicate vine scrollwork.
On the reverse darker side the date of June 21, 1901 is etched. As you can see from the photos the heart is curved and the dark and lighter shading of the dated side is reflective. In addition there is no hole or piece to indicate this was meant to hang on a bracelet or necklace.
Can anyone verify this is a mourning piece? If so was it kept in one pocket or adorned somewhere else. Thanks for your help!
