week 8 Heirloom

 

Doris' gold locket brooch

 

This piece of jewellery was owned and worn by an ancestor Doris BIRD. Daughter of George BIRD and Sarah TIPTON, Doris was bornin 1898 at Derbyshire, England. Although nothing can be stated with confidence as to when or how the brooch was acquired by her, it is easy to follow its descent through the following four generations of one daughter families; Doris --> to her daughter Loraine --> to her neice Corrinne--> to her daughter Shannon.

The object is classed as a locket brooch. It measures 40mm long x22mm wide at extreme points and weighs 10 grams. It appears to be constructed from gold over an alloy with a nine carot gold centrepiece encasing a ruby and two seed pearls. On the front there is some decorative depth and relief work and a contrasting matt and shiny surface presentation. By removing the rear gold surround glass, two attachment screwsare visible. There is no visible manufacturers mark.     

 

 

           
Historically lockets have been worn for centuries. Originating in Europe in the 1500s they contained and/or concealed good luck charms, perfume soaked fabric to disguise and ward off  bad smalls, miniature portraits, at times poison[1].
 Elizabethans wore miniatures painted by the best artists of the times within their expensive lockets; only the well-to-do could afford them. Queen Elizabeth I wore a portrait of her mother Anne Boleyn and herself within a ring locket.
During the Victorian era Prince Albert presented Queen Victoria with an 8 locket bracelet, each containing an engraved name with date of birth, and lock of hair from one of their children. Upon Albert’s death, Victoria wore a photograph of him within a mourning locket. Thus a must-have fashion trend was set[2].                                                                                           

 

              
The industrial revolution played a large part in jewellery becoming affordable and available to more people. The development of electric gold-plating used metal alloy in place of gold and silver, the creation of imitation stones, and production-line manufacturing all lowered costs. However, towards the end of the 19^th century several other factors were coming into play regarding jewellery. William Morris was founder of a movement opposed to over mechanisation, and skilled artisans began rejecting machine-based factory systems. Focus returned to hand-crafted jewellery; imperfections were embraced as individual workmanship, the increased use of less precious metals and alloys, and gems chosen for colour as opposed to monetary value became fashionable[3] .                                       
                                                                                           

An interest in Egyptian and Greek jewellery styles was awoken aside the archaeological discoveries from these ancient civilizations. The grand period of 1860-1885 saw a revival of Greek and Etruscan techniques. Engraving[4] and chasing[5] were replaced with filigree[6] and granulation[7] to create depth and relief, with matt and glossy finishes[8].  The Late/Aesthetic Period, 1885-1901 also brought in a more subtle, unfussy style of jewellery better suited to the role women were taking up in society as they began participating in business, politics and sport[9].

 These photographs compare our example against two others of the late Victorian period.



Another reliable means to date brooch jewellery is to examine the catch, hinge and pin mechanism [10].

The ‘C’ catch, a simple bend in the fastener, was the earliest type in use from c1850-1910. Usually this fastening mechanism is handmade and without any safety features which were introduced c1890 onwards.

The pin can be dated by the diameter, thicker usually denotes an older mechanism, as the fabric it pinned to was generally a looser and heavier weave. More delicate synthetic fabrics of the 20^th century required a finer pin. Usually handmade, the earlier pins also extended further beyond the c-catch, mid-19th century by 1/8 - ¼ inches.

The tube hinge was most commonly used between 1850 and 1910. Also handmade, typically by the person making the brooch, it consisted of three tubes in a T-shape attached to the brooch at two points and the pin at the third. Later a single pieced pin, catch and ‘round hinge‘ became most common.  
From these brooch decoration and fastener comparisons one can safely conclude this item was produced in the late Victorian era.

 

On 02 April 1911, Doris was staying at Aunt Annie’s home[11]. In October the same year she immigrated to New Zealand with her mother and sister[12] and never returned to England.
Was Doris’ locket a farewell gift?  

[1] The secret life of Antiques: Lockets, http://www.theribboninmyjournal.com/the-secret-life-of-antiques-lockets/, Accessed 01 May 2017.Z[2] The secret life of Antiques: Lockets. [3] The History Jewellery Part 2: From 19th Century to the Modern Day, http://mallams.co.uk/news/history-jewellery-part-2-19th-century-modern-day/, Accessed 01 May 2017.[4] cut design[5] indenting[6] fine soldered wires[7] adherence of small gold beads using heat as opposed to solder[8] Grand Period 1860-1885, http://www.langantiques.com/university/Grand_Period_1860-1885, Accessed 01 May 2017.[9] Influence of the Victorian Era on Jewellery Makers, http://www.cooksongold.com/blog/trends-and-inspiration/cooksongold-blogger-jo-varney-looks-at-the-victoria-era, Accessed 01 May 2017.[10] Dating Brooch Fasteners 1850-1910, https://www.realorrepro.com/article/Dating-brooch-fasteners, Accessed 01 May 2017.[11] Ancestry, 1911 England Census for Doris Bird,   Ancestry.com., 1911 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA), 1911.[12] Find My Past, Travel and Migration for Doris Bird, Findmypast.com., Passenger Lists Leaving UK 1890-1960 Transcription [database on-line].[13]Cleaning and Caring for Vintage Pearl Jewellery, http://www.ebay.com.au/gds/Cleaning-and-Caring-for-Vintage-Pearl-Jewelry-/10000000177633040/g.html, Accessed 01 May 2017.