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VICTORIAN & VINTAGE AGATE JEWELRY
Victorian jewelry is as complex in it’s symbolism, sentiment and design as the fashion, architecture and decor of the time. Worn as an ornament, a love token or a remembrance, both the costume and fine jewelry of the era not only completed the well-dressed lady’s attire but also denoted her position in society, her marital status and her sense of self.
Since the Victorian era stretched over six decades, many types of jewelry came and went in vogue. Mass production made jewelry available to the widest number of buyers in the broadest range of designs ever seen before in history. When it came to formal occasions, the "more is better" theme of the Victorian era carried over into how jewelry was worn by royalty and the aristocracy. Paintings of Queen Victoria and other royals at state occasions show multiple brooches, swags, earrings, bracelets and hair ornaments. But the jewelry of the everyday woman is collectible, fascinating and a lesson in history that enchants us even today.
The popularity of Victorian stone or "pebble" jewelry was encouraged by Queen Victoria and it began as a souvenir of her trips to Scotland. From the mid-1800s, about 1860, Queen Victoria frequented Scotland and her Scottish castle, Balmoral. Scotland became a popular place to view the sites, with Scottish dress and jewelry being fashionable, too. By the later 1800s it was being made in England and Germany as well. I have read that the stones used included orange, red and mustard Campsie Fells jasper from Stirlingshire, green Isle of Rum bloodstone and glass citrines and amethysts simulating Cairngorm citrines and Sutherland amethysts.
British souvenir jewelry came along with the easier transportation that began with the early decades of Queen Victoria’s reign when the English were riding on trains to see parts of their country that were farther away and harder to reach traveling by horse. Public transportation made vacations within the British Isles more available to the masses, and along with that came the souvenir jewelry from some of the different vacations spots.
Agate comes in many colors and the lovely or unusual striations can add to their desirability. Usually set in silver, pieces were also made in karat gold as well. The stones included jasper, bloodstone and other agates, and some were also set with Cairngorm citrines and amethysts. Worn with everything from modern blouses to the typical plaids, these cannot be beat as a wonderful accessory still today.
TO BUY interesting vintage jewelry See...
Morning Glory Antiques and Jewelry click HERE.
And for Antique Agate jewelry, click HERE.
And stay tuned as we share more marvelous jewelry for sale in the coming weeks!
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