The Responsible Choice
Buying antique jewellery is both ethical and eco-friendly as harmful and destructive mining processes are not needed to make an item yours. So give yourself a pat on the back!
Find Out MoreThese are a lovely example of late VictorianJewellery made in the the Victorian era (1839-1901). mourningRings made especially to mark the death of a loved one. Often called 'memento mori' rings. Rare examples survive intact and are highly collectable. jewellery.
Mourning jewellery first became very popular with the passing of Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Victoria was so devastated by his death, she dressed in mourning clothes for the remainder of her life. Such pieces were an outward manifestation that the person had not been forgotten, a ‘memento mori’ – a reminder to the living of the inevitability of death as well as a status symbol.
As the 19th Century wore on mourning jewellery became more ornate and decorative and these earrings (circa 1880) are a good example of that. In good condition, they are inlaid with silverA metallic element which is malleable and ductile, and white in colour, making it ideal for use in jewellery. It is usually mixed with copper to improve its hardness.
pique, and consist of double hoops, which were very fashionable. They are particularly unusual as they are made of real siver pique, whereas pique was normally a mix of gold and silver. They are very wearable and look great on.
Pique jewellery is no longer being made and fine pieces like this one are continuing to rise in value. Most pique jewellery was done in tortoise shell, made from the hawksbill turtle Pique (pronounced pee kay) a technique of decorating tortoiseshellAn organic material (not a shell) that is obtained, not from a tortoise, but from the overlapping horny top plates (called 'blades') covering the carapace (upper shell) of certain marine turtles, preferably the hawksbill turtle found of the West Indies and Brazil and the loggerhead turtle found near the Celebes. or Ivory with fine inlay of gold or silver.
Buying antique jewellery is both ethical and eco-friendly as harmful and destructive mining processes are not needed to make an item yours. So give yourself a pat on the back!
Find Out MoreWe always stand by our five core principles:
Quality, Rarity, Expertise, Peace of Mind and Personal Touch