SOLD Bold and beautiful 14k Victorian Etruscan Revival Locket hand tinted mourning photo

Jewelry : Antique : Fine : Victorian

 

This impressive solid gold mourning locket is in near mint condition! It retains its original hand tinted photograph of a handsome young gentleman in mid Victorian attire. Note his jacket, which buttons high on his chest, with just a hint of a tie tucked beneath his collar.

Etruscan Revival jewelry became extremely popular during the Victorian period. Archaeological discoveries of ancient Tuscany and Egypt excited the imagination of designers. They set out to produce jewelry that incorporated the sophisticated style of the ancients. Most jewelry produced in this era would never be mistaken for ancient jewelry, nor was it meant to be exact replica. Etruscan Revival jewelry incorporated Victorian taste, and has a charm of its own.

This locket is an exquisite example of Revivalist jewelry. The wire work and granulation was wrought with a pleasing precision. The bale and hinge were made expertly. The frame inside is fitted so perfectly, one has to alternately lift either end of it in order to pull it off. Inside is a lock of light brown hair which surely belonged to the gentleman pictured. If it is a mourning locket, as I suspect, there is little evidence of wear. The bail, where gold should slowly wear away with movement, is perfectly intact. This would leave one to believe that the wearer was not subject to a long life of loss. Perhaps she remarried, and the locket was carefully tucked away with other remnants of her old life. But she thought enough of this man to keep his photo and his hair, the only remains of his earthly body, in this beautiful locket.

This impressive locket measures 2 1/4" in length including its original bale, and is 1 1/4" wide. It tests 14k and has a high karat gild, which was often done on American pieces of Etruscan jewelry. I show it on a gilt metal chain, which is not original but included. It really looks perfect with it, because it it from the same era as the locket. It has a watch chain dog clip clasp and is just shy of 18" in length. The locket is thick and varies in thickness. It is nice how the shell detail rises up at the bottom, creating depth. The locket alone weighs an impressive 17.2 grams, or over 1/2 an ounce. If you are a collector of antique mourning jewelry or are looking for a keepsake locket, you will be thrilled to own this one! Examples of Etruscan Revival jewelry is this condition are becoming very difficult to find, and now is the time to collect!

Item ID: J 272