Antique Amethyst Set Mourning Brooch

Description

This antique Mourning Brooch is surrounded Amethysts and set in a gold plated metal. Woven human hair is encased under a small piece of beveled glass in the centre of the brooch.

These pieces were very popular in the Georgian and Victorian times and were made to remember loved ones by. A small lock of the departed person’s hair would have been kept to be woven and set into a piece of jewellery such as rings, brooches and lockets. Quite often the person’s name or initials and date of birth and death would be engraved on the back.

The Amethysts in this little brooch are securely set in silver cups with claws that sit on a bezel around each stone. This is attached to a thick gold plated back that has the pin attached. The Amethysts are a lovely deep purple colour but unfortunately there are minor chips to 3 of the stones. There is some wear to the beveled glass and the metal in places.  Considering that this brooch around 200 years old, these minor imperfections can easily be forgiven.

It measures 22mm across x 18mm.

This brooch was hand made and a tremendous amount of work has gone into it. The person who had a mourning brooch made to remember a loved one by would have been treated with great deference. It’s also very likely that a local jeweller would have been commissioned to make the item and they would have wanted their client to be happy with the result at such a sad time.

Mourning jewellery has always been very collectable and there are still many fine examples of it available to buy,