| Scottish Silver #1 Press back button to return to collection |
This first piece is lovely. I happen to be a big fan of
bracelets! The fact that it is hair and that it has a snake motif are what tell me it is a 19th century piece. Hairwork falls from favor around the turn of the 20th century. And the snake motif was very popular following the engagement of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Her engagement ring was in the shape of a serpent. The fact the metal work is silver tells me that the piece is probably not before 1870. Silver became fashionable starting in the 70's. Generally before that findings and mountings are in gold tones. So I would safely date this piece to the last 3rd of the 19th century, possibly the last half. Suzanne Carter |
NAMcA
#2 Press back button to return |
-The 2nd piece, the watch chain is fairly common as hair
watch chains go. These were popular for 3/4 of the 19th century, often given by a girl to
her intended. But this one tends to be in very nice shape. Suzanne Carter |
bell #6 |
old hook #5 Press back to return |
-The old hook is known as a Shepherd's Hook. They were
commonly used on watch chains before 1860. Suzanne Carter |
Open Hair Locket
#7 Press back button to return |
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| -The brooch in picture #8 is also lovely. From my experience, square
brooches tend to pre-date the Civil War and this one looks to be a transition piece from
Georgian to Victorian, somewhere in the neighborhood of 1830-1850. Into the 1850's
brooches tend to be more rounded. Although I have seen an identified CdV of a young woman dating 1862 and she is wearing a square brooch. The fact that the hair is blond makes the piece more valuable. The back appears to have had some repair work done on it and the pin looks to have been replaced. Suzanne Carter |
Amber Stone #12 Press back to return |
Photo Locket #11 Press back to return |
Cameo
#8 Press back button to return |
-The bracelet you show in the box, picture #8,
is a particularly nice piece. I have one similar in my collection, except the cameo top is
a locket which opens to reveal a window filled w/more hairwork. These are probably British
pieces. My experience has shown that American pieces were more simply woven w/cleaner
lines. In the last 10 years the American market has become flooded w/these British pieces.
While that is not necessarily a bad thing, it makes dating a piece a bit harder. What was fashionable in England generally did not become fashionable in America for a season or two. So w/ that said, I have dated my bracelet at the earliest in America to 1867. I can't find anything earlier than that. I found the pictures of bracelets exactly like these in an 1867 Peterson's magazine. Perhaps they were being made earlier than that in England. The fact that this piece has the box makes it so much more valuable! Suzanne Carter |
