I have a long-held fascination with Victorian hair art and mourning jewelry, and this piece is full of amazing details. In the 19th Century Europe and the United States, it was extremely popular to use the hair of loved ones (both deceased and living) for jewelry, and decorative objects, such a wreathes. While she famously grieved her husband Prince Albert's death for 40 years, Queen Victoria often wore a locket with his hair around her neck. This specific piece is made of solid 10k gold, with black enamel and seed pearls centering upon a window of braided hair. I love how beautifully woven the hair is in this brooch, making it a really fine example of hair art from this era. The majority of Victorian hair jewelry was not mourning jewelry, but rather tokens of love for the living; this piece, however, is a mourning brooch (we can tell from the black enamel) and would have been used to commemorate a lost love one. It would have been most commonly worn to fasten a lace shawl at the collar. It is finished with a pin back but can also be worn as a pendant on a chain, as shown here. Note that it can be worn on most chains/ the chain pictured is not included but please contact me if you would like to add one: shop@verybreezy.com


* The Antique Victorian Vulcanite Grape Necklace pictured is also available in my shop *

Great antique condition. There is a minuscule chip in the enamel, which is not noticeable unless closely inspected. With any questions about the specific condition or size, please email shop@verybreezy.com for additional photos or measurements.

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This item is sold from an excellent, highly rated vintage seller in New York, NY.