 If you're in town then come and visit us at: The Antique Connection Mall 12815 Central NE Albuquerque New Mexico, 87123 USA See More | Whether fashioned by a home crafter or professionally by a hair weaver or a jewelry maker, hair jewelry was the height of the romanticism and sentiment that characterized the Victorian era. Some pieces were done as mourning pieces or "momento mori" ("remember you must die"), but some were not. While some may find this morbid, for the Victorians death was a common and accepted part of everyday life especially due to the higher infant mortality rate of the time and the devastation of the Civil War. |

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| Hair jewelry was not always mourning jewelry, however, as it was also crafted as love tokens from sweethearts, family members and cherished friends. Rings might be engraved with loving messages and memorials either on the face or inside the band, and might also have hidden compartments for the hair. Brooches came in all sizes from the daintiest lace pin, worn by both men and women, to a larger 3" oval meant to be worn at the neck. Watch chains and bracelets often show the most ingenious hair weaving techniques with more than one color of hair often used, as perhaps a chain given by three daughters to their father. |
VICTORIAN antique early 1840s 14 karat hair brooch in yellow gold with black enamel and plaited thick blonde hair under glass, 2" by 1-1/2". It has the tube and c-catch closure with an extended pin stem typical of this era. The mourning message "In Memory Of" in old English lettering encircles the frame, and engraved on back is this: "Ms Buchannan, died 12th Nov 1843 John Wilson died 4th June 1843" On the back is a tiny loop where a safety chain could be attached, and there are a few very small dimples there, too, but nothing that detracts. I couldn’t even get my camera to capture them. The black portions you see are only the reflection of my camera. This brooch was seen in Christie Romero’s "Warman’s Jewelry, 3rd Ed", page 35 and similar pieces can be seen in in Becker’s "Antique & Twentieth Century Jewelry" on page 106. This brooch was also was featured in Southeastern Antiquing & Collecting Magazine, August 2003. View View View View #V9521
| VICTORIAN antique sentimental hair jewelry, a 10k yellow gold bracelet of fifteen tubular hollow links, each a beautifully woven memento with varying tones of hair, and each link inscribed with the source monogram of a different name or initials of the person whose hair it is, probably a friendship token. Extremely rare and unusual, it is 6 3/4" wearable length by 1-1/2" wide. This is probably the most lovely token of friendship I have ever seen, and one of the most unusual. It is not a mourning piece, but rather a memorial piece. I would love to know what special occasion prompted the making of this amazing friendship bracelet. It has no marks but tests 10k gold. It is similar to one shown in the reprint of "The Art of Hair Work, 1875" by Mark Campbell, page 285 and on page 30 of A. Bernard & Co. Catalogue, 1870. View View View View View #V32065 | VICTORIAN antique 14k yellow gold brooch with palette work hair flower bouquet and a black Taille d’ Epergne enamel lover’s knot setting fashioned like bent twigs, circa 1870, 2-1/4" by 1-1/2". This is one of the loveliest frames I have ever seen on a piece of hair jewelry and it has a glass covered locket compartment on the back as well as the front. On the back it has the tiny loop where a safety chain might be added. It has the Victorian style extended pin and tube catch. While it has no marks, it does test as 14k gold. While I hesitate to use the phrase "excellent condition" on a brooch of this age, I can find no flaws of any kind. A hair brooch similar to this can be seen in "Sentimental Jewelry" by Ann Louise Luthi page 15 and also in seen in Christie Romero’s "Warman’s Jewelry, 3rd Ed", page 35. View View View #V29441 |
GEORGIAN/EARLY VICTORIAN 14k yellow gold earrings, each a foil-backed closed collet set dark citrines suspending an acorn-shaped hair pendant on early hinged ear wire findings, 1-1/2". This pattern is shown in the reprint of "The Art of Hair Work, 1875" by Mark Campbell, page 121. #V32067 | GEORGIAN/early VICTORIAN rare pinchbeck and woven hair bracelet with a faceted purple paste stone in a cannetille work clasp. Four colors of plaited hair made up this bracelet, which makes me wonder if it might have been made by four daughters for their mother. It is 7" long and 1-1/4" wide. It was featured in
Southeastern Antiquing & Collecting Magazine, August 2003. Similar Victorian hair jewelry bracelet designs can be seen in A. Bernard & Co. Catalogue 1870. View View View View View View #V1957 | VICTORIAN brooch with two-toned plaited locks of hair interwoven within seed pearl and onyx surround and safety chain, 1-1/8". View #V32066 |
GEORGIAN 14 karat gold hair ring on blue enamel with seed pearls and hair bows under glass, engraved "WC ob 5 Sept 1790 at 74", with original box, It is set above blue foil or blue enamel, even under magnification it is hard to tell which. Fabulous detail and design in this 220-year-old ring. The size is 7-3/4 and it is 1-1/4" along the finger. It came to me in it’s own little blue ring box. View View View View #V35889 | VICTORIAN antique snake coil bracelet with 14 karat yellow gold and garnets and a woven hair band, approximately 14" total length by 1/2" wide, snake head 2" long. This is in amazing condition, as though it has never been worn, circa 1880. To see an original 1870 Hair Jewelry Catalogue with many examples of this work, please click HERE and a snake bracelet can be seen
HERE. A similar piece can be seen in the book "Jewellery in the Age of Victoria" by Gere & Rudoe on page 168, where they have a page of photos of hair jewelry from the Victorian & Albert Museum. They say the pieces shown there are European. A similar pieces can also be seen in the book, "Warman’s Jewelry" 2nd Edition by Christie Romero on page 24, where she also date sit 1870. And another is in her 3rd Edition of the same book on page 44, and that is dated 1840-60. View View #V36021 | VICTORIAN 1842 ring with diamonds in a flower shape set on blue enamel in 15 carat yellow gold, hallmarked for 1842 London and marked "WE" for William Eaton and the number "8", size 9-1/2 and 1/2" along the finger. This is Georgian in style and is dated just 5 year after the Georgian reigns. View #V35959 |
GEORGIAN/VICTORIAN 15 carat yellow gold hair bracelet with tiny seed pearls and curl over plaited gray-blonde hair, blue enamel, engraved on the back "John Burdon, b. Octr 14th 1811, d. Novr 12th 1893", 6-1/3" around the inside with the front navette shape 1-7/8" by 1". Rev. John Burdon was a son of Rowland Burdon and lived at Castle Eden Dene in northern England. The navette shape and style of this bracelet is very typically Georgian (See Dawes & Collings "Georgian Jewellery, 1714-1830" pages 145 & 160 for examples) but the later date engraved is Victorian. The box shown with it is good for display but it will not close with the bracelet inside as it is not deep enough. View View View View View View View #V33003 | VICTORIAN Etruscan Revival 15 carat yellow gold, Persian turquoise and seed pearls brooch and earrings with twisted wire work, foxtails and plaited hair back compartment all in original box, brooch 3" by 1-3/4", earrings 2-1/4" total length. View View View View View View #V33029 | VICTORIAN 14 karat yellow gold bracelet with tiny star design on four-strand band with oval center double-sided finely woven hair or photo compartments, circa 1880. Hand engraved flowers and leaves decorate each side of the center oval and the oval itself as well as the catch, delicately and beautifully done. This is an unusually long 8" length and 5/8" band with 1-3/4" by 1-1/2" center. View View View #V32800 |
VICTORIAN 14k yellow gold beautifully enameled little "Merry Christmas" sentimental locket with a banner, mistletoe and holly on the front and two palette worked hair plumes with seed pearls under glass inside, circa 1890, 1-1/4". View View #V24996 | The inside of lockets #V24996 and #V29823 | VICTORIAN 10 karat yellow gold hair locket with black enameled "In Memory Of" on front, "Hannah Taylor, born June 23, 1872 died July 30, 1876, Rest in Jesus" and hand-tied hair curls inside, 1-5/8" by 1-1/4". View View View #V29823 |
VICTORIAN 18k yellow gold and Persian turquoise knot brooch, lovely detailed design on the front and two memorial hair compartments on the back. The knot was a Victorian symbol for unending love. This fabulous brooch is 2-1/4" by 2-2/3". View View View View #V32572 | VICTORIAN yellow gold filled mourning brooch with curled hair in three shades accented with tiny seed pearls against a pale pink background, 2-1/4" by 1-7/8". View #V31345 | VICTORIAN 14k yellow gold knot brooch with garnets, hair compartment on back of lower dangle, 1-3/4" by 3". This is a lovely high-relief piece and a very unusual type of hair jewelry. The knot is a symbol for unending love. The top garnet has a very tight and hard-to-see crack, but the stone is secure and it is not detrimental to the overall look of the piece as it is visible only under magnification. The center dangle has a fox tail end, and the overall design is detailed, three-dimensional and elegant. See Bell’s "Collecting Victorian Jewelry" page 149.
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VICTORIAN 14k blonde hair bow bow brooch with garnet cabochons set in bloomed 14 karat yellow gold, 2-1/2" by 3-1/8". Not only is the bow delicately hand made of hair, but the dangling heart has a tiny hair enclosure on the back as well. The details on this are lovely! The gold at the center of the bow is beautifully engraved with roses and leaves. The gold has a lovely bloomed gold finish. See Bell’s "Collecting Victorian Jewelry" page 149. View #V38080 | VICTORIAN antique 9 carat yellow gold lover’s knot brooch with black enamel work, a seed pearls flower with a mine cut diamond center, and knife edge gold and pearls leaves and stems. This beauty is 1-3/4" by 1-3/4". On the back is a loop for a chain or a safety chain. The catch on the back was professionally replaced for security, probably in the early 1900s. This is a lovely antique piece in excellent vintage condition and a treat to own and wear. It has no marks but does test as 9 carat gold.
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| VICTORIAN woven hair jewelry brooch with gold front engraved, "To Our Mother", and the back engraved, "To Our Mother from her Husband and Children", 2-1/3" by 2-1/3", circa mid-1800s. Also dangling from a bow are a woven cross, anchor and heart symbolizing "Faith or love, hope and charity. The brooch is in excellent vintage condition, amazing for the age of this piece. Even the hair has no holes. I treasure my copy of the catalogue A. Bernhard & Co. Catalogue, 1870, which is full of Victorian hair jewelry. On PAGE 16 of this is a page of hair brooches similar to this one that are fun to see.
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VICTORIAN antique round banded agate brooch with surrounding cream colored beads in an gold tone metal setting with applied wire work and a brunette woven hair beveled glass covered locket back, 1-1/2". Each segment has a rope shaped edging. It has the Victorian style tube and c-catch closure that works just as it should, and the front is in excellent condition as well. I have yet to see another quite like this.
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| VICTORIAN antique rare fossil clasp hair bracelet with silver tone fittings. The seven strand band has medium and dark brown woven hair and the bracelet is 6-1/3" wearable length with a 2" by 1-1/4" clasp. I think the stone is called "brain coral", and it has such a terrific swirling design that highlights the hair work perfectly. The hair is in very good vintage condition except in two places. One is where the hair meets the metal ends, where it is frayed, which can be seen in the photos. The other is mid-way on one strand where it has a bit of loose piece. But the clasp is excellent and works exactly as it should
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| VICTORIAN antique10 karat yellow gold and woven hair jewelry brooch with rare hair flowers under a domed glass cover and set in gold, a 1-5/8" by 1-1/4" oval. The flowers, which are in at least three different colors of hair, are really wonderfully made and the setting is extra deep in order to house them. Because the glass cover is domed, it magnifies the flowers in a lovely way. It has a scratch on the back where someone tested it for gold content. The pin back has been reinforced and there are very shallow dimples on the back, but the front and the hair work is in excellent vintage condition.
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VICTORIAN Georgian/Victorian era amethyst and gold locket back brooch or pendant with amazing tiny hair worked flowers, leaves and stems in a bouquet accented with seed pearls under a beveled glass cover, 1-5/8" by 1-1/3". There’s also a flip-up loop on the back for a chain, and a flip-up safety catch. This comes with it’s box, circa early 1800s, and it is in excellent condition.
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| VICTORIAN Georgian hair ring with amethysts, replaced band , marked inside "10" and maker’s mark "VJ" in a diamond shape, size 8-3/7/8" by 5/8"4 and the top is . According to a 1993 Canadian appraisal, the ring is a, "10k yellow gold hand assembled ring that appears to have been an older piece of jewelry with a newer shank and base added. The top piece consists of a hand carved rectangular center piece set with braided brown hair under glass. The surrounding cap is set with a 10 prong set round shaped standard brilliant amethyst/natural quartz gauging 4.60 by 3.00 mm approximate total weight 3.00 carats. Clarity SI-1 Type II, Color medium dark strong purple, mount weight 6.10 gm." They valued the ring at that time at $800.00 Canadian.
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| GEORGIAN hair sepia neoclassical art mourning ring, sepia hair painting on ivory under crystal showing a woman crying into her handkerchief under a weeping willow tree and beside a tomb, engraved "Jas. Liddell, Jan.1784 Ae 42", typical Georgian navette shape surrounded by amethysts, size 8 and 1-1/4" along the finger, no marks, total weight .32. One tiny amethyst is chipped, visible only under magnification. Rings similar to this can be seen in "Sentimental Jewelry" by Ann Louise Luthi page 8-9; and in "Georgian Jewellery" by Davidov and Collins page 160. View View View View #V34828 |
VICTORIAN large gold filled with black enamel basket weave brooch with two colors of hair… brownish-blonde and blondish-gray. This memorial brooch also has a pendant hook on back, 2-1/8". View #V29245
| VICTORIAN 1867 memorial set, 15 ct karat yellow gold banded agate and diamonds set: pendant, brooch and earrings dated 1867. The pendant has a seed pearl in the middle, the pin has seven small rose cut diamonds, pendant and pin both engraved in mourning "In Memory of E. Johnson, Obt 24 June 1867", pendant 1-7/8" earrings 2" pin 1" , 22" chain marked "JS 375". View View View View View #V35498 | VICTORIAN black and white enameled Classical urn motif brooch with glass covered hair compartment, circa 1840, some enamel missing, 3/4" by 1". Bell’s "Collector’s Encyclopedia of Hairwork Jewelry" page 94. View #V31385 |
VICTORIAN gold and black enamel palette worked hair plumes, seed pearls and golden wire work memorial brooch with engraving on back, "Alex McDonald, obt. 23rd Dec, 1850, Agnes Sanderson, 14th Nov. 1871. Note that each side of the curled hair is a different color, one for each of the people memorialized in the engraving on the back. View View View #V31130 | VICTORIAN lady wearing a lovely hair brooch with woven and braided hair. View #Vpho1 | VICTORIAN sentimental triple knot hair brooch in yellow gold settinng, circa 1880, 1-5/8". Hair jewelry was a popular sentimental item throughout the 1800s. This is an unusual design, and may have been done by siblings in a family. A very similar brooch can be seen in this Victorian-era photograph View. View #V28119
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VICTORIAN memorial locket with a seed pearl cross motif on a black enamel background on the front and a gold filled 16" chain. There are the initials "KML" on one side. Inside is a photo of a lady, a bit worn, along with a hair plume curl with seed pearls, so this could have been a mourning piece. View View #V38113
| VICTORIAN 14k yellow gold mourning ring with black "In Memory Of" enameling, plaited brown hair under glass front, engraved inside "Caroline Ryland, obt 11 Nov 1855, age 45", size 9. A similar piece is seen in Christie Romero’s book "Warman’s Jewelry, 2nd Ed, page 36. View View #V29762 | VICTORIAN hair memorial brooch with a dangling puffy heart, 1-7/8" by 1-1/2". The top knot is an open tubular weave accented with tiny gold tone ends and flowers. The dangling heart is centered with another tiny black enamel heart.
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GEORGIAN hair pin surrounded by two rows of tiny seed pearls, braided brown hair under a beveled glass cover, circa 1810, 7/8" by 5/8". Pieces like this are called "handkerchief pins" in Romero’s book "Warman’s Jewelry Edition 3" on page 34 and I have also seen them called "lace pins". View #V35964 | GEORGIAN 15 karat and glass pearl matching bracelets with hair compartment and later-added costume glass seed pearl strands, 7-1/2" length with 1/3" by 1/3" clasps. I believe these may have originally been woven hair bracelets and the glass pearls replaced the worn hair in the early 20th century, allowing the bracelets to continue to be worn. View View #V35926 | GEORGIAN garnet and moss agate tiny pin circa 1810, 3/4" by 5/8". Pieces like this are called "handkerchief pins" in Romero’s book "Warman’s Jewelry Edition 3" on page 34 and I have also seen them called "lace pins". View #V35965
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VICTORIAN Whitby jet with plaited hair locket, 1-1/2" by 1-1/3" locket with 1/3" loop, fittings and plaited hair inside. View View #V32221 | GEORGIAN early 1800’s 14k yellow gold, garnet and pearl lace pin with hair enclosure, 3/4" by 5/8". View #V32198 | VICTORIAN puffy heart padlock charm with hair enclosure, 1". A similar piece can be seen on page 36 of Bell’s "Collecting Victorian Jewelry". View #V31587 |
VICTORIAN painted cherub portrait on porcelain with hair compartment on the back, 1-3/4" by 1-1/4". Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio, 1483-1520) was a great, late Renaissance Italian artist. Raphael’s Cherub is part of his early 1500s Sistine Chapel murals in the Vatican. Many Victorian pieces were made with this as their inspiration, including this one. View View #V29914 | VICTORIAN jet 1-7/8" by 1-1/2" locket with hand painted cherub on porcelain front and photo and hair compartment on back, suspended on a 20" faceted French jet (black glass) beads chain. Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio, 1483-1520) was a great, late Renaissance Italian artist. Raphael’s Cherub is part of his early 1500s Sistine Chapel murals in the Vatican. Many Victorian pieces were made with this as their inspiration, including this one. View View #V29917 | VICTORIAN framed early hand painted portrait on ivory in gold filled setting, circa 1840-50, with a lock of hair on the reverse, 2-5/8" by 2-1/4". He wears the period high collar, cravat and stickpin. On the back is a braided lock of hair under glass. Pieces like this were often done by limners, who created these likenesses before photography was invented. See a similar piece in Bell’s "Collector’s Encyclopedia of Hairwork Jewelry" page 192. View #V3810 |
VICTORIAN hair brooch, ornate silver setting with pastes, palette work hair curls and seed pearls, 1-1/2". This is an unusual setting for a hair piece. View #V27578 | VICTORIAN jet and seed pearl hair brooch with plaited blonde and brown hair under glass, 1-3/4". Seed pearls in Victorian mourning jewelry often represented tears. View #V29447 | GEORGIAN memorial hair ring with pearl surround and blonde hair. Size 7-1/4 and engraved, " Joseph Dixon died 16th Jan.y 1815 aged 50". Engraving #V15165 |
Captain John Jenkins, an early steamboat captain from New Brunswick, New Jersey, moved to Apalachicola, Florida, piloted an early steamboat and was an investor in a steamboat company. He was the husband of Arietta and father 5-year-old of John W. Jenkins, and had the pendant shown at right made in their memory. | REGENCY 18k yellow gold 2-1/2" by 2" oval pendant with 5/8" loop, engraved on the back, "To The Memory of My Wife and Child, Arietta S. Jenkins obt. Nov. 25th, 1832, John W. Jenkins, Sept 3rd, 1832". Both died of yellow fever and were buried in Chestnut Street Cemetery (Old City Graveyard) in Apalachicola, Florida. It is marked on the inside back, "W.M. & C., 18". View View View View View View #V29714 | "Chestnut Street Cemetery (Old City Graveyard) of early Apalachicola. Chestnut Street Cemetery dates prior to 1831. Interred are some of Apalachicola’s founders and molders of ehr colorful history. Also buried here are many soldiers of the Confederacy and victims of yellow fever and shipwrecks. Seven of the Confederate veterans served with Pickett at Gettysburg in the gallant Florida Brigade." Tombstone of Arietta S. Jenkins. Tombstone of John W. Jenkins. "Sacred to the Memory of John W. Jenkins who dies Sep. 5, 1832, aged 5 years." |
VICTORIAN 14 karat yellow gold brooch with brown, blonde and red hair. The setting has lovely branches, leaves and tendrils and the hair is held in place by tiny seed pearls and golden threads interspersed with golden thread wheat stalks, symbol of prosperity and abundance, circa 1880, 2" by 2-1/4". This would have been a sentimental friendship brooch, not a memorial piece, and it has a compartment on the back as well. Total weight .82 ounces. View View View #V32449 | CAMEO swivel brooch with hair compartment on the back, circa 1880, 2". View #Q28120 | VICTORIAN 18k hair brooch/pendant, oval with braided hair in two shades of blonde and brown hair, basket woven hair back, 2" wide. View #V18982 |
VICTORIAN 14k yellow gold and black enameled "In Memory Of Eliza" hair brooch, 7/8". View #V27614 | GEORGIAN/VICTORIAN "In Memory Of" hair brooch with the name "Sarah" in hair compartment, 7/8". This is circa 1840, early Victorian. A brooch like this piece can be seen on page 8 in the book "In Death Lamented; the Tradition of Anglo-American Mourning Jewelry" by Sarah Nehama, which was a companion volume to the Fall Exhibit at the Massachusetts Historical Society 2012. View #V27608
| GEORGIAN man’s lace brooch with hair insert, engraved "Susanna Bush, obt 12 Aug 1807 alt 30", an unusually early date, 1". View View #V29477 |
VICTORIAN large sterling silver hand made pendant with a tin type photo of a little boy on one side, and a lock of his hair tied with a blue ribbon and his baby ring on the other, frame marked "925", 3-5/8" by 2". View View #V29576 | VICTORIAN hair brooch, blond basket weave in forget-me-nots frame, 1-1/3". View #V27577 | VICTORIAN lady wearing a hair brooch and a lovely dress lined with small buttons. Photo by Reuben Tremblett, Birkenhead. View |
VICTORIAN gold pierced hair ring with shield front, size 9-1/4. #V21550 | VICTORIAN 14k hair ring engraved "SB", woven hair on sides. See Bell’s "Collector’s Encyclopedia of Hairwork Jewelry" page 187. A similar piece is seen in Christie Romero’s book "Warman’s Jewelry, 2nd Ed, page 36. View #V23358 | VICTORIAN 14k yellow gold etched design ring with woven hair inside, circa 1880, size 7-1/4. This can be seen in an 1870 A. Bernhard catalogue of Victorian Hair Jewelry. and Bell’s "Collector’s Encyclopedia of Hairwork Jewelry" page 185. View #V15458 |
VICTORIAN hair set in pierced gold ring with etched design and initials "MPH" on the front, size 6-1/2. View #V31359
| VICTORIAN hair double dangle earrings of table work and gold fittings, screw back fittings probably replaced the original pierced ones in the early 1920s, slight unraveling at tops of one earring, 2-1/4". View View View View #V31360 | VICTORIAN hair woven on gold cross pendant, 1-1/4" cross on 1/3" loop. See Bell’s "Collector’s Encyclopedia of Hairwork Jewelry" page 124. View View #V31361 |
VICTORIAN 14k yellow gold hair purse pocketbook charm, circa 1880, 7/8". See one like this in Bell’s "Collector’s Encyclopedia of Hairwork Jewelry" page 197. This is shown in the reprint of "The Art of Hair Work, 1875" by Mark Campbell, page 159. A similar design can be see in the A. Bernard & Co 1870 Catalogue on page 7 and PAGE 13. View #V31399 | VICTORIAN hair plume palette work brooch with seed pearls and curled wire work, table work hair frame and gold fittings, circa 1870, 1-5/8" by 1-1/4". Similar brooch seen in the 1870 Edition of A Bernhard & Co. Catalogue. View View #V31354 | VICTORIAN black and white enameled Classical urn motif brooch with glass covered hair compartment, circa 1840, some enamel missing, 3/4" by 1". Bell’s "Collector’s Encyclopedia of Hairwork Jewelry" page 94. View #V31385 |
VICTORIAN woven hair jewelry brooch with brown bow and two hair dangles, 2" by 1-1/4".
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| VICTORIAN antique hair memorial mourning brooch in an diamond shape with two colors of braided hair. It is beautifully engraved on the back, "My Mother died 5th April, 1861, and Father died 7th April 1867", 2-1/2" by 1". View View #V40073 | VICTORIAN woven hair bracelet 6-1/2" by 5/8". This is in amazing condition for it’s age and frailty with only some tiny hairs fraying out at the edges. The knot on the bracelet itself doesn’t seem to slide, so in order to wear it, you must be able to slide it gently over your hand, and you would need to have a small petite hand. It is very delicate. It could also be used in a Victorian display with vintage photos and ribbons.
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VICTORIAN hair bracelet in an open weave with gold stations and clasp, beautifully made, two hair portions unraveling on back, circa 1870, 7-1/4" by 3/4". This bracelet can be seen on page 28 of the A. Bernhard & Co 1870 catalogue of hair jewelry. Similar to one shown in the reprint of "The Art of Hair Work, 1875" by Mark Campbell, page 285. View View View Catalogue Page #V31353 | VICTORIAN hair bow pin with acorn drops with the :knot" of the bow of gold tone inscribed with the name "Lizzie", some unraveling at bottoms of acorns. This is shown in the reprint of "The Art of Hair Work, 1875" by Mark Campbell, page 144. View View View View #V31362 | VICTORIAN braided hair watch chain with gold fittings, unraveling about 2" on one side, 10-1/3". View View View #V31355 |
VICTORIAN hair large hoop earrings, gold filled fittings, 1-7/8" long and 1-5/8" wide. Bell’s "Collector’s Encyclopedia of Hairwork Jewelry" page 141. These earrings are shown in the reprint of "The Art of Hair Work, 1875" by Mark Campbell, page 160. #V31386 | VICTORIAN hair brooch with cross pendant and gold filled fittings. This is shown in the reprint of "The Art of Hair Work, 1875" by Mark Campbell, page 145. | VICTORIAN hair earrings with open weave table work and gold fittings. |
VICTORIAN hair pin with orange cabochon center stone framed with plaited hair and set in gold, monogrammed "MBF", a small but extremely unusual piece, 1". View View #V31356 | VICTORIAN hair bow bracelet of "plain open braid" weave table work with engraved initials "AVP" on clasp, delicate at point where it joins the center fitting. This pattern is shown in the reprint of "The Art of Hair Work, 1875" by Mark Campbell, page 110. View View View #V31357 | VICTORIAN table worked hair in two tones with gold tone leaves and berries dangle pierced earrings, kidney wire findings, circa 1870, 1-1/4". These earrings are shown in the reprint of "The Art of Hair Work, 1875" by Mark Campbell, page 160. View View #V31358 |
VICTORIAN woven hair pendant set in 14 karat yellow gold with a glass cover, engraved on one side "Adele ob 16 Jan, 1835, age 6 years 3 months", a memorial for a child, total length 1-7/8" by 1-1/3" wide, tests 14k. View View #V37549 | VICTORIAN 1870s brown woven hair bracelet with a flat intricately woven band and a catch with a red faceted stone and 9ct gold fittings (tested), 5-7/8" wearable size and about 5/8" wide. This is in very good condition with tiny flea bites on the red stone and some edge wear on the band. Similar clasps can be seen in this jpg of a catalogue we own, 1870 A Bernhardt Catalogue of hair jewelry, seen HERE. View View #V38101
| VICTORIAN basket woven human hair brooch with beveled glass cover, setting tests as 10 karat yellow gold, 1-1/4" by 1". I have tested this a few times, and while I would not think it is karat gold, it tests as 10k. I am pricing it as gold tone, so no matter either way. View #V37548 |
VICTORIAN hair brooch with table worked open frame and palette worked woven hair center set in yellow gold filled, 1-1/8". This is shown in the reprint of "The Art of Hair Work, 1875" by Mark Campbell, page 159. View #V31468 | VICTORIAN hair bracelet with etched design locket front, 6-5/8" by 7/8". View View View #V31408 | VICTORIAN hair and wire work flowers with artificial pearls. View View |
A. Bernhard & Co. Catalogue, 1870 PAGE 9 of Victorian hair jewelry: brooches in fancy designs, including florals and initials. | VICTORIAN blond hair bow brooch of open table work with drops, 2" by 1-3/4". This brooch, sadly, has major damage, but I am sure it was treasured and worn by someone many years ago. This is shown in the reprint of "The Art of Hair Work, 1875" by Mark Campbell, page 144. View View View #V31395 | A. Bernhard & Co. Catalogue, 1870 PAGE 16 of Victorian hair jewelry: bracelets and brooches. |
VICTORIAN woven human hair vest watch chain showing two styles of weaving, with yellow gold tone findings including a locket fob (as is with finish wear) and slide engraved with the initials "H.D.J" on one side, circa 1870s, total length 10", hair braiding in excellent condition. To see an original 1870 Hair Jewelry Catalogue with many examples of this work, please click HERE. View View #V37536 | VICTORIAN woven human hair upper arm bracelet, tube woven with lovely yellow gold findings with a roses and scrolls design, hair braiding in excellent condition, wearable length 10-3/4" by about 7/8" wide. Each tube is woven in a hollow tube and then loosely braided like pig tails in young girls hair, and the entire bracelet is in excellent condition. There are a total of 6 tubes. To see an 1870 Hair Jewelry Catalogue with many examples of this work, please click HERE. View View View View #V37535 | VICTORIAN woven human hair necklace with gold tone stations and findings woven hair work in excellent condition, total length 22", long for this type of necklace, circa 1870s. To see an 1870 Hair Jewelry Catalogue with many examples of this work, please click HERE. View #V37537 |
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| VICTORIAN woven hair watch chain and gold filled fob with watch fittings, a swivel hook on one end and a bar on the other, made of hair it is 7-1/3" and 10" with chains. View View #V38335
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VICTORIAN rolled gold blonde woven hair brooch, 1-1/2" by 1-1/3". View #V29756 | VICTORIAN rolled gold blond hair brooch engraved on the back "In Memory of E. Bishton’, 2" by 1-3/4". View View #V29755 | GEORGIAN garnets set in 10k yellow gold hair brooch, 1", one garnet replaced with rhinestone. View View #V29759 |
VICTORIAN hair set in etched and enameled gold pierced earrings with three pendants, kidney wire findings, 1-3/4" top to bottom. Earrings like these, circa 1870, can be seen on page 45 of Romero’s Warman’s Jewelry, Ed. 3. Similar earrings are on page 143 of Davidov & Dawes "Victorian Jewelry". View #V27335 | VICTORIAN hair brooch, basket weave hair enclosed in golden glass covered compartment with Greek key motif around the edge, 1-3/4". View #V27353 | VICTORIAN brown hollow acorn braid woven hair acorn earrings, 1-1/8". Earrings like these, circa 1870, can be seen on page 45 of Romero’s Warman’s Jewelry, Ed. 3. This pattern is shown in the reprint of "The Art of Hair Work, 1875" by Mark Campbell, page 121. View #V27607 |
LADY wearing gold earrings and a woven hair necklace with a photograph pendant. Carte de viste marked "Robertson & Brooks, Franklin, KY." | VICTORIAN 1-3/4 inch hair and photo memorial swivel brooch. Now this is the original odd couple! The back compartment contains very blond hair. VIEW #V18650 | VICTORIAN lady wearing a memorial hair brooch at her collar. Marked on the back "Elliott & Fry, 55 Baker Street, Portman Square, London W.". View View View |
VICTORIAN hair brooch with loop for pendant, "In Memory Of" in gold tone around the edge on black enameled 1-1/2" x 2". View #V21552 | VICTORIAN hair brooch with black enamel sentimentally engraved "In Memory of Wee Jeanie", 1-5/16". View #V17492 | VICTORIAN hair brooch with "In Memory Of" in gold tone around the edge on black enameled 1-1/2" x 2". View #V17215 |
VICTORIAN "In Memory Of" gold and black enamel mourning pin with hair, 1-1/4". View #V27244 | VICTORIAN blonde plaited hair brooch set in black enameled gold filled frame, engraved on back "L.E. 8 Feb1870", 1-1/2". View View #V27789 | VICTORIAN hair brooch, blond lock of hair in etched gold and black enameled frame, 1-1/2". View #V27576 |
VICTORIAN hair brooch, black enameled frame with scrolled design, 2". View #V27574 | VICTORIAN 10k yellow gold and black enamel with seed pearls forget-me-not front, hair compartment back, gray-blond hair, engraved "John Sweeting died 24 March 1845 aged 85". View #V27605 | VICTORIAN basket weave hair brooch, black enameled frame "In Memory Of" scrolled design, dents on back, 2". View #V27575 |
VICTORIAN large hair memorial brooch with pendant hook on back, 2-1/8". View #V29245 | VICTORIAN hair brooch, basket weave in glass covered compartment, scalloped design, back indented, 1-1/2". View #V27354 | VICTORIAN hair brooch engraved “In Memory of Elizabeth Kind, Obt 17th Nov 1844 at 67″, 1-5/8”. View View #V25997 |
VICTORIAN 14k woven brown hair earrings in a lovely looped design, one with slight unraveling which the magnified picture exaggerates, each 2" total length with wires for pierced ears, circa 1870. View View #V36392 | VICTORIAN 14k yellow gold and chalcedony ( a kind of white quartz) small Persian turquoise cabochons brooch with forget-me-not motif in an aqua enameled, 2". Circa 1840-50. This same piece is seen in the book by Christie Romero, "Warman’s Jewelry, 3rd Ed, page 41. It also was featured in Southeastern Antiquing & Collecting Magazine, August 2003. View #V14952 | VICTORIAN hair double dangle earrings of table work and gold fittings, screw back fittings probably replaced the original pierced ones in the early 1920s, slight unraveling at tops of one earring, 2-1/4". View View View View #V31360 |
VICTORIAN antique hair brooch in 10k and chalcedony. It is a mourning hair brooch with two colors of hair beautifully and simply braided, 1-5/8" wide. The frame tests 10k, and the brooch is in very good condition. View #V40072 | VICTORIAN hair brooch, glass covered hair compartment set in chalcedony, 1-3/4". View #V27355 | VICTORIAN chalcedony brooch with plaited hair in compartment, 1-3/4". View #V29258 |
VICTORIAN braided hair bracelet, engraved inside "CLVR", 6" by 1/2". View #V25845 | GEORGIAN hair 1/2" pendant engraved on the back "Benj’n Hawkins, b. 19th Jan 18__, AE {age} ’59", framed with seed pearls which are symbolic of tears, on a newer 20" chain marked "585". This was probably once a ring or a lace pin. View #V27361 | VICTORIAN HAIR RING 14k with seed pearls surrounding woven hair under a crystal, size 4, circa 1880. View View View #V17771 |
VICTORIAN IMO memorial or mourning brooch with hair enclosure and the words "In Memory Of" in gold on the black enamel front. There is a loop on the back so it can be worn with a safety chain, 2-1/4" by 2" .
View #V37290 | VICTORIAN gold filled memorial or mourning hair pendant with black enameled edge, a 3/4" pendant on a newer 17-1/2" chain.
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View #V15460
| VICTORIAN 9 carat yellow gold mourning In Memory Of stickpin with tiny braid of hair inside and black enameled lettering, partially legible initials and date lightly scratched on the back say, "CSM ECS ae_9, __ 4", 2-1/4" long and in it’s original box. View View View #V36633 |
VICTORIAN swivel brooch, lady wearing locket photo on front and woven hair on back, 2-1/4". View #V27783 | VICTORIAN gold filled brooch with hair compartment on back, 1". View #V28857 | VICTORIAN hair brooch, carved and pierced bone deer insert, hair compartment on back, engraved hoops frame, carving shows some breaks, 2-1/8". This type of carving was done in Erbach, Germany. See Bell’s "Collecting Victorian Jewelry" page 21. View #V27360 |
VICTORIAN hair locket brooch with etched flowers and embossed scrolls, engraved on back "FHN". View View #V27368 | VICTORIAN hair brooch, black enameled frame "In Memory Of", engraved on the reverse, "FR obt Nov 13, 1856". View #V27579 | VICTORIAN locket brooch with scrolled edging, engraved castle front, 1-5/8". View #V27580 |
VICTORIAN locket with hair compartment inside. View #V18646 | VICTORIAN yellow gold oval swivel brooch with substantial setting, 2-1/2". View #V28804 | VICTORIAN jet brooch with hair compartment, etched design, 1". #V27603 |
VICTORIAN sentimental woven hair watch chain in the twist chain braid design, 14". These were often done by a lady for the men in her family. This pattern is shown in the reprint of "The Art of Hair Work, 1875" by Mark Campbell, page 38. View #V16355 | VICTORIAN French jet (black glass) bow brooch with an embossed gold tone hair compartment, circa 1890, 1-1/3" wide. View #V28783 | VICTORIAN black glass oval 2-1/8" pendant with hand painted white flowers and a hair compartment on reverse. View #V24441 |
VICTORIAN hair locket pin with seed pearls, hinged on back, 1-1/3". View #V27778 | VICTORIAN gold filled closed pocket watch style locket pendant with daguerreotype of a lovely lady and a curl of blonde hair inside. View #V29592 | VICTORIAN oval locket with blond curl, 1-1/2". View #V27779 |
VICTORIAN 375 (9 ct) hair 14" watch chain with fob engraved with initials and marked "WA .375". View #V21554 | VICTORIAN gold filled hair 3/4" pendant on 17-1/2" chain. #V15460 | VICTORIAN octagonal hair pendant on chain, redone from a brooch long ago. View #V15461 |
VICTORIAN woven brunette hair sweetheart or memorial watch chain with dog’s head fob. View View View #V29605 | VICTORIAN rolled gold sweetheart photo pendant with girl photo on one side and lock of hair on the other, 1-1/4" on a 22" chain. View #V29599 | VICTORIAN hair watch fob with crystal barrel, total length 6-1/3" by 7/8". View View #V4399 |
~ Small pins like the ones below are often referred to as "lace pins". They were worn not only by women, using them to fasten lace around the collar, but also by men of the Regency/Georgian era… those who wore velvet jackets, lace-trimmed shirts with ruffles, make-up, wigs and high heels. Examples of this style of dress can be seen HERE.
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GEORGIAN hair brooch, tiny rectangular with black faceted stone frame, curved shape, 1". View #V27357 | GEORGIAN dainty blonde hair brooch with seed pearls, 3/4″. View #V25998 | GEORGIAN handkerchief pin with plaited brunette hair, gold frame, 1". #V27585 |
VICTORIAN hair brooch, engraved on back "R.M., Mother", oval 7/8". View #V27359 | VICTORIAN hair brooch, tiny two-sided glass covered compartments, snake frame, 1". In Victorian times, the snake was the symbol of eternal love. View #V27356 | VICTORIAN hair brooch, oval with glass hair compartment, tiny 1". View #V27358 |
VICTORIAN gold rectangular brooch with blond hair compartment, 1". View #V27606 | VICTORIAN rectangular entwined hair brooch with double etched gold frame, engraved on reverse “Solomon Howe Ae 53, died July 29th 1830; Sarah Howe Ae 48 died Sept 2 1837. View #V27613 | VICTORIAN hair brooch with black enamel frame, engraved on reverse "Walter Carley died 14 Feb 1886 aged 13 months", 1-1/8". View #V27609 |
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VICTORIAN woven hair jewelry memorial brooch with golden blonde hair in a basket weave design under a beveled glass cover set in gold with a reinforced pin back, a tiny treasure of a lace pin at 3/4" by 1/2".
A doll collector friend of mine loves these for her Victorian dolls to wear because they are genuine but scaled down to doll size. When these were originally made, they were worn by both men and women on a lacy collar or hanky, often near the neckline. View #V38184
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| Georgian era Cemetery in Otley, England | |
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