Victorian Mourning Jewelry

 

Picture by Val

Victorian mourning jewelry is a poignant and intricate expression of grief prevalent during the 19th century. Crafted with exquisite detail, these pieces served as both sentimental keepsakes and mementos of the deceased. They often featured materials like jet, onyx, and gutta-percha, with motifs such as weeping willows, urns, or skulls, symbolizing themes of sorrow, remembrance, and mortality. Hairwork, wherein locks of a loved one's hair were intricately woven into jewelry, was another common practice, serving as a tangible connection to the departed. Victorian mourning jewelry not only provided a tangible link to the deceased but also allowed individuals to publicly display their mourning status and devotion, offering a unique blend of fashion and sentimentality that continues to fascinate collectors and historians to this day.