Collecting Victorian Mourning Jewelry and Its Modern Historical Significance

Common Victorian Era memento collectibles of the 19th century. Strands of black jet necklaces and sentimental sweetheart stretch bracelets were symbolic accessories during the Victorian Era. Photo courtesy of Zanathia Jewelry (zanathiajewelry.com)

Some of the most symbolic representations of the Victorian Era (1837-1901) are mourning and memento mori heirlooms. While some may cringe at the thought of wearing jewelry made from a dearly departed loved one’s hair strands or bone cartilage, the sentimental trend has become a valuable form of remembrance. Although mourning jewelry may not be displayed at your local jewelry store, it has become increasingly popular and highly sought after within the antique industry. The historical significance and delicate nature of curating mourning jewelry involve preserving the memories and stories from past lives.

Queen Victoria photographed in 1863. Queen Victoria began dressing in all black mourning attire and wore sentimental memento mori accessories after her husband Prince Albert passed in 1861. Photo republished by writer/biographer Lytton Strachey (1880-1932) in 1921. Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication License.

Victorian antiques are currently seeing a rising collector base, and the thought of owning mourning jewelry may not be as ‘morbid’ as we perceive. The Victorian Era was not only a period of expansion and technological advancements, but it was a time of uncertainty as well. Wars, disease, and a shorter life expectancy plagued many nations. As we face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the mourning jewelry items that Victorians found comforting suddenly have a newfound resonance.

Queen Victorian (1819-1901) inspired the trend of wearing mourning accessories after her husband Prince Albert (1819-1861) passed from chronic illness and typhoid fever. Her desire to wear all-black mourning attire and custom memento jewelry while grieving invoked a new aesthetic during the Grand Era (1861-1881) of her reign. Interestingly, the trend became a popular style of choice in general. High demands for woven hair jewelry began to be mass-produced by jewelry manufacturers, and different designs were commissioned from catalogue models. Strands from living people and animals were used for jewelry-making as demand grew, and making hairwork accessories became a part-time hobby for many.

Some of the most appealing characteristics of hairwork jewelry are the artistic methods and process for creating every piece. Intricate woven braided strands of hair were crafted into bracelets, secured within lockets, and even designed into quality artistic earrings. The superb craftsmanship took time, patience, and a steady hand to create. The hair had to be boiled in baking soda for at least fifteen minutes, sorted into lengths, and then divided into 20-30 strands. This tedious process and dedication add to the allure of hairwork jewelry, many of which are still in particularly good condition today. In recent years, the antique market has seen an increase in collecting Victorian hair jewelry, and the trend is projected to not go away any time soon. The Victorian Era has inspired many 21st-century revival styles, and mourning accessories have a growing admiration.  

Queen Victoria's Mourning Brooch Containing Prince Albert's Hair, Royal Collection, Buckingham Palace

Antique Victorian Era Vauxhall Glass Mourning-Style Brooch. Available to purchase at zanathiajewelry.com

When collecting Victorian jewelry, mourning-style pieces were created in various designs. Although black is the prime color for memento mori collectibles, the period included a broad range of symbolic styles. Many Victorian jewelry designs were symbolic in nature, and even the materials used for designs could hold a more intimate meaning. White enamel on memento jewelry could symbolize unmarried women or children. An image of two hands clasping each other meant an everlasting bond, and sentimental personal messages were often engraved on pieces. Although images of skulls and bones were used heavily, the overall symbolism was often abstract and less ‘extreme’ compared to memento mori pieces from the Medieval Era. Sweetheart bracelets engraved with a loved one’s initials or a compartment for strands of hair became popular forms of sentimental wear. These stretch bracelets became popular symbolic keepsakes and were commonly dedicated to those who had family members serving in the Civil War. Presently, antique sweetheart bracelets from companies D.F. Briggs and Pittman & Keeler are highly collected and growing in value.

Tintypes and daguerreotypes in good condition have become one of the leading symbols for memento heirlooms. Many of these images portrayed ladies in elegant black garments wearing mourning-style accessories and gold-tinted pieces. Portraits of Civil War soldiers, families, and even the dearly departed (Victorian morbid photography) are antiques that represent the memento mourning culture of the Victorian period.

This intriguing collecting category has seen an increase in value over the years and contains items of great historical significance. The fascination with Victorian mourning heirlooms and memento mori antiques includes a broad range of collectibles. Presently, one of the reasons why antique mourning jewelry has become increasingly popular to wear has a lot to do with its flexibility for everyday use. The colors and designs are appropriate to wear for both business and casual days. Although the Victorian Era has been known to add elaborate ‘over-the-top’ designs to classical styles, Victorian memento jewelry can be used as ‘statement’ pieces without being too garish. The history behind the pieces is intriguing and important to preserve.

‘Two Brothers in Arms’. C.1860-1870. Photograph shows two African American Civil War soldiers, full-length portrait, wearing uniforms, seated with arms around each other's shoulders, facing front. Sitters possibly Baldy Guy (left) and George Guy (source: researcher S. Gardner, 2019). Excerpt and photo from Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division/ Gladstone Collection of African American photographs

Daguerreotype photo of [Unidentified Civil War nurse who worked at Fort Monroe, Virginia, and Harewood Hospital, Washington, D.C., half-length portrait, seated] H.P. Macintosh, Newburyport, Mass. H.R McIntosh Photography c.1861-c.1865. Excerpt and photo from Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division/ Gladstone Collection of African American photographs  

You may not see collections of hair jewelry in a modern jewelry advertisement, but there are a growing number of independent artisans who have created jewelry dedicated to Victorian mourning and memento mori accessories. Social media and photography have allowed many to be inspired and intrigued by Victorian curiosities and memento mori collectibles. While some are considered more morbid and ‘extreme’ then others, there are also many items that are ‘softer’ and ‘lighter’ as well. The Victorian Era was a fascinating period to examine and reflect on. The inspiration and relatable reasons for creating sentimental memento mori jewelry have followed us to present times, and the interest is still expanding. Some may consider certain aspects of Victorian memento mori collectibles as ‘creepy.’ Yet, if we examine the delicate stories and reasons behind many of these sentimental collectibles, then we shall see that it is an intimately beautiful way to honor those in remembrance.

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Tanzy Ward is the author of Hidden Legacies: African Presence in European Antiques, an antique dealer, and an appraiser. She is also the founder of Zanathia Jewelry, which specializes in preserving rare antique and vintage accessories from eras gone by.

Ward is a PACC certified appraiser and graduate of Asheford Institute of Antiques. In addition, she is a proud member of the Asheford Associate Membership Program & The American Society of Jewelry Historians. Zanathia Jewelry emphasizes preserving pieces of history and the cherished memories that are connected with it. Ward’s way of preserving history includes hand sourcing, researching, and providing unique jewelry that past generations wore with gentle love.

Hidden Legacies can be purchased online by clicking here.

Tanzy Ward can be found online at her business Zanathia Jewelry https://zanathiajewelry.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tanzyward_antiques/

© Tanzy Ward 2021