VICTORIAN lady wearing a vulcanite cameo pendant and golden earrings. Cabinet card handwritten on the back in pencil, "Lizzie Richardson".   View   View

VICTORIAN lady wearing a teardrop-shaped necklace and a carved ivory name brooch. Carte de viste marked "Photographie Parisenne, Letalle & Co., (from Paris), 36 Cannon St., Birmingham".  

    VICTORIAN lady wearing elaborate vulcanite drops necklace.   View

 VICTORIAN vulcanite grapes necklace, 20" long with 3-1/3" drop at the front.   View    #V32599

 VICTORIAN vulcanite links necklace with four pendant maenads on each side of a center classic maiden in three-quarter profile. The central maiden is a 2-1/2" cameo and each maenad is 2", all on a 20" chain, circa 1880. This necklace is seen in "Nineteenth Century Cameos" by Rowan, page 119, as well as in Muller's book "Jet", page 126.   View  View   View   View   View   #V29237

VICTORIAN vulcanite 20" chain and 3" cross.   View   View   View   #V31564

VICTORIAN vulcanite "forget-me-not" embossed sentiment on a lovely locket and links chain. The locket is 2-1/8" by 1-1/8", the chain 21" with 5/8" by 1/2" links, circa 1880.   View   View   View   #V31976

VICTORIAN early 1800s French jet necklace, 16-1/2" with a front drop of 4". To find this ornate and well-designed a piece of early French jet in excellent condition with no missing pieces is a rare treat.  View   View   View   View   #V31972

VICTORIAN vulcanite Bacchante cameo locket necklace with a  22-1/2" chain with 5/8" by 1/2" links and a 1-1/2" by 1-1/8" locket.    View   View   View   #V31857

    VICTORIAN vulcanite locket with fuchsia flowers, 4 photo compartments holding photos of what looks like parents and grandparents, 2-1/8". See page 26 in Helen Muller's "Jet Jewellery and Ornaments".  View   #V25284

VICTORIAN vulcanite 2" locket on 4-1/2" of chain.    View   View  #V25357

   VICTORIAN vulcanite locket in ornate shield motif, 3-1/4".  View   #V25285

VICTORIAN vulcanite fuchsia oval 1-7/8" locket on 28" chain, one link missing.   View   View   #V27201  

    VICTORIAN lady wearing a vulcanite hand brooch, beads and bracelet.  View

 VICTORIAN vulcanite chain with celluloid cameo pendant, chain is 19" with 5/8" by 1/2" links and 2-1/2".   View   View   #V31856   

     VICTORIAN vulcanite green boy pendant, 2-5/8".   See similar pieces on page 90 of Helen Muller's book "Jet".   View   #V28876 

   VICTORIAN vulcanite pendant with hand painted porcelain pink "Tyrolean boy" portrait, 2-5/8".   View   #V29161  

   VICTORIAN vulcanite boy portrait miniature on porcelain pendant, circa 1870, 1-1/2". See page 32 in Helen Muller's "Jet Jewellery and Ornaments".   View   #V27673  

VICTORIAN carte de visite of a lady wearing a jet brooch and earrings and a vulcanite locket on chain, 2-1/2" by 4". "E. Le Jeune Photographe, Naples".  View   View   #Vkph22

VICTORIAN vulcanite heart and flowers pendant, 1-3/4".   View   #V29817

VICTORIAN vulcanite lily locket with fitting on one side inside, 1-5/8" by 1-1/3" with 1/2" loop.   View   View   #V32216

VICTORIAN vulcanite chain with highly embossed roses cross pendant, chain 30" with 1/2" round links, cross 3-1/3".   View   View   #V31854

VICTORIAN vulcanite china with four-lobed pierced and carved pendant with highly embossed floral front, chain 19" with 1-1/4" by 7/8z" down to 3/4" by 1/2" links and 3" pendant.    View   View   View   #V31855

VICTORIAN vulcanite necklace 22-1/2" chain with 5/8" by 1/2" links and Bacchante locket 1-1/2" by 1-1/8".    View   View   View   #V31857  

  VICTORIAN Prince Albert watch chain with charms, 11-1/2" chain with 1/2" to 1" charms on 3-1/2" chains.   View   #V28546

VICTORIAN lady wearing a vulcanite chatelaine chain at her waist.

   VICTORIAN vulcanite 17" chain with hook closure and 2-1/3" etched design pendant.  View   View  #V29141

     VICTORIAN vulcanite bird and scrolls locket with charming baby photo inside, 1-3/4".   View   #V27374

       VICTORIAN vulcanite 2-5/8" pendant with pansies hand painted on porcelain, circa 1870. Pansies are the symbol of remembrance.   View   #V27373

   VICTORIAN vulcanite three-dimensional mother bird feeding nested babies locket, 1-3/4". See page 26 in Helen Muller's "Jet Jewellery and Ornaments".   View   #V27375

VICTORIAN vulcanite watch chain with oval double hole links, 20" long with links 1" by 3/4" down to 3/4" by 1/2", easily wearable as a neckalce.  View   #V31588

VICTORIAN carte de visite of a lady wearing a vulcanite locket on a black ribbon, 2-1/2" by 4". "Henry Knight, Artist & photographer, Regina House, Grand Parade, St. Leonard's on Sea".  View   View   #Vkph19

VICTORIAN vulcanite men's watch chain, also worn as a necklace, 17" long with graduated links from 1-1/4" by 3/4" down to 3/4" by 1/2".   View   #V31774

VICTORIAN vulcanite links watch chain or necklace, 28" with each oval link being 7/8" by 3/4".   View   #V31407

VICTORIAN lady wearing vulcanite chain necklace and cross pendant, gold earrings and ring.  View

VICTORIAN French jet (black glass) and braided fabric Albert watch chain with tassels, 10".   View   #V29637

  JET is the black fossilized wood of a particular tree that grew millions of years ago. It is particularly associated with the English town of Whitby where much of it was fashioned into jewelry and accessories. While jet was made into jewelry throughout the 1800's, it was especially fashionable between 1860 and 1890. Like amber, it will pick up paper when static is created by rubbing it on wool or silk.

GUTTA PERCHA is the sap of the Dichopsis tree also found in Malaysia. Invented by William Montgomerie in 1843, it was used mainly in technical articles, e.g. driving belts, stoppers, tubs, pails, cups, washing drums and cables. It was also used for household purposes such as mouthpieces for whistles, sticks and riding whips. It was very rarely used for jewelry.


Pieces like these, circa 1860-1890, can be seen in Helen Muller's book Jet and in Christie Romero's Warman's Jewelry, Ed. 3 on pages 51 and 52.

  VICTORIAN vulcanite fuchsia oval 1-7/8" locket on 28" chain, one link missing.   View   View   #V27201

    VICTORIAN vulcanite 15" chain with 18" ribbon and 2-5/8" deep relief teardrop shaped cameo pendant, 30".  See page 126 of Helen Muller's book "Jet" for a similar design.  View   #V27246

     VICTORIAN vulcanite teardrop shaped cameo pendant, 1-1/3".    V27238

    VICTORIAN lady wearing an elaborate cameo mourning piece.   View

   VICTORIAN vulcanite pendant on original chain, fastened with ribbon, 34" total. 4" pendant and chain.   View   #V27204    

   VICTORIAN lady wearing a cameo vulcanite necklace.  View

   VICTORIAN vulcanite lily-of-the-valley locket, photo cover on one side of inside, 1-7/8".   View   #V28893    

VICTORIAN lady wearing a vulcanite neck chain and locket   View 

     VICTORIAN vulcanite pendant with trumpet flowers and leaves, 2".   View   #V26450

VICTORIAN lady with fancy hat and vulcanite necklace.   View

VICTORIAN vulcanite locket with 3-dimensinal forget-me-not flowers and leaves, 2-1/2".   View   View   #V27799

   VICTORIAN lady wearing a mourning necklace, brooch and earrings. 

 VICTORIAN vulcanite neck or watch chain with original clasp, 20" by 3/4".   #V25876

 VICTORIAN vulcanite thick graduated links watch chain or necklace, 22-1/2". Each link is graduated from 5/8" by 1/2" at the smallest up to 3/4" by 1" at the largest.    View   #V28209  

   VICTORIAN black bead muff chain, 54".  View   #V25993 

 VICTORIAN lady wearing vulcanite necklace with cross pendant.

   VICTORIAN vulcanite 24" necklace with carved 1-1/2" cross.   View   #V28802 

VICTORIAN lady wearing a vulcanite pendant on a black ribbon.

VICTORIAN vulcanite beads, long strand 68".   #V27695

   VICTORIAN vulcanite 17" necklace with 2-1/2" anchor pendant. The anchor is the symbol of hope.   View   #V28557

   VICTORIAN dyed black wooden beads, knotted between each bead, silver hook closure, 52".  View   #V28416

VICTORIAN vulcanite graduated links necklace, 21" with links 1-1/4" by 7/8" graduating down to 3/4" by 1/2".   View   #V31336

VICTORIAN vulcanite chain, 20" long with links from 1/3" by 1/2" to 3/4" by 1".   View   #V28556 

VICTORIAN vulcanite long watch chain with oval fob, 15".   View   #V31333

VICTORIAN vulcanite links chain with hook closure, circa 1880, 20" by 5/8".     View   #V33986

VICTORIAN horn links necklace with hook closure circa 1880, 22" by 5/8".   View   #V61887

VICTORIAN horn chain necklace with hook closure circa 1880, a nice length at 21" by 1/2".   #V61802

VICTORIAN vulcanite watch chain and book charm, chain 14" book 1" by 3/4".   #V32621

  There are several materials used to make mourning jewelry, and they can be very difficult to distinguish between: jet, bog oak, horn and vulcanite. Jet was hand carved, while the other materials were pressed or molded.

For information on identifying these and other materials, see the booklet "What's It Made Of ?" by Sherry Shatz. 
 

      VICTORIAN lady wearing parure of necklace, bracelet and earrings.   View   View

   VICTORIAN  vulcanite cross pendant, 3-1/8".    View   #V25356

VICTORIAN vulcanite cross with leaves design pendant, 3-1/4".  View   #V29296

VICTORIAN vulcanite lily cross pendant, 3" by 1-7/8" by 3/4" thick.   View   View   #V32620

VICTORIAN lady wearing matching jet cross pendant and earrings and a black neck ribbon. Carte de viste size 2-1/2" by 4-1/4", marked on the back "Ulke Bros., No 1111 Penn. Avenue, Washington, DC, 1872" and hand written in ink "Julia, with love Judith". 
One photo expert contacted me wondering if this CDV might have been a gift to U.S. Grant's wife, Julia, as the Ulke Brothers were well known as photographers of the politically famous in Washington DC, and 1872 was the beginning of Grant's 2nd term as President. I would love to know who she is.

  VICTORIAN vulcanite cross pendant with design on the front, 2-1/8" by 1-1/3".  View   #V31334

    VICTORIAN large pressed horn cross, 4-1/2" by 2-1/2".  View   #V28200  

    VICTORIAN vulcanite cross on chain necklace, hook closure, 1-3/4" by 19".    View   #V29962  

VICTORIAN vulcanite long chain, 34".   View   #V29470

"Jet" by Helen Muller

Copies of the book can be obtained by contacting Helen Muller's daughter, Katy:  Email Katy  

Helen Muller