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This refined Victorian mourning bracelet exemplifies the deeply personal nature of 19th-century memorial jewelry. Crafted in tested 15ct gold, the bracelet centers on an oval portrait locket housing an intact early photographic likeness, preserved beneath its original glazed covering. The surrounding mount is delicately engraved L.F. from her dear husband May 18th, 1849, reflecting the restrained elegance characteristic of mid-Victorian mourning pieces.
The bracelet is constructed with a woven hairwork band—an intimate material historically created from the hair of a loved one and worn as a private token of remembrance. Designed to be expandable, the bracelet would have offered both comfort and longevity for daily wear. On the reverse, a luminous mother-of-pearl panel provides a quiet contrast to the photographic front, reinforcing the object’s dual role as adornment and personal reliquary.
Such pieces were not merely decorative, but emotionally charged artifacts, often commissioned to commemorate loss while preserving presence. This bracelet survives in remarkable condition, with the photograph, hairwork, and gold fittings all intact—an increasingly rare convergence.
Purchased at auction in the United Kingdom.
