Huge Antique Georgian to Early Victorian Hair Art Mourning Brooch, Seed Pearls

Acid tested at 10k gold on the frame and 16k on the pinback, it’s in great condition for the age of it. This larger locket style brooch is remarkable for size alone – it is 2.5″ x 2.25″ slightly oval. Cover glass is perfectly preserved, slightly convex and the arranged hair within is a work of art, clasped by gold and seed pearls, a feathering curl. Seed pearls represent the tears of the person left behind to mourn the loss. The custom of saving locks of hair of someone you’d loved goes back a very long time, but was elevated in the Georgian to Victorian era to a high fine art of jewelry making, and we find many exquisite examples of goods that still house the decorative hair ornament within. Remember, there were no photos, painted miniatures or large portraits were very expensive and reserved only for the very wealthy, the few.

Very good to excellent condition, not a bit of damage to either of the mount or its covered glass compartment, though the gold wires used seems to have been a lower karat and has a little something like tarnish that has darkened the hair just there, as you can see. The outer casing is in fine condition and it’s extra large in size. No dents, no damage. This one has been tucked away for many many generations or truly cherished, one. Survives in fine form. The body tests 10K but pinback is16k, and the gold is yellow. 21.4 grams in weight, it is 1.5″ in diameter. The old box protects it well and will come with it, though we are unsure if it is original. A real beauty!