Brooches
Ribbon slides of this nature are early examples of the move towards wide-spread jewellery mementos during the post restoration period. Unlike the previous period, the move from the memento mori ideal provided a space where mourning could become a matter of personal interest. Ecclesiastically, the earlier change towards Protestantism facilitated this and the trauma of the English Civil War during the Stuart Era enforced an evolving custom that differed to that of mainstream Europe.
Considered to be earlier pieces, memento mori ("Remember you will die," "Remember that you are mortal") jewellery, or the statement of memento mori on objects previous to this time are not true mourning pieces, but a statement on mortality. An example of this can be seen on this French ring which does not denote a memorial, but a statement on the life (and lifestyle) of the wearer, which lends to religious piety and the threat of final judgment. Prior to the restoration period, portraits of Charles I would be worn secretly, usually hidden in lockets or placed in rings, to show the devotion of royalists to the crown. From this, the mourning custom grew1. Mementos could be left to loved ones and the custom of mourning in its growing form became a personal ideal, rather than one central to the church.
| Courtesy: |
Barbara Robbins |
| Country: |
England |
| Year: |
c.1680-90 |
|
This piece is remarkable for its hairwork and the placement of the dedication. The hairwork is a thick weave, attached to four points of the slide and the gold cypher is placed floating on top. Two love hearts join the initials in a wonderful love token that sets a precedent for the style of love tokens that were to come. It's wise to remember the time this piece was created and the burgeoning memorial and sentimental industry.
| Courtesy: |
Barbara Robbins |
| Country: |
England |
| Dedication: |
EH |
| Year: |
1687 |
|
It's not often that such an incredible piece can survive for so long and still stay in such remarkable condition, but it is a piece like this that exemplifies its time. Two holding hands with a burning heart above shows this to be the pure sentimental piece that it was created for. The love heart setting and the curved crystal show it to be honest and un-doctored, a pure 1680s creation. The hairwork is still in fine condition and the sentiment is one of a kind.
| Courtesy: |
Barbara Robbins |
| Country: |
England |
| Year: |
1689 |
| Dedication: |
B.A / May 24, 1689 |
Holding a scythe and an hourglass, this skeleton is remarkably rendered and a fine example of the memento mori motifs in memorial jewellery. The oval shape and curve to the crystal denote it as clearly its time and not later.
The above example, coutesy of Barbara Robbins, is a superb example of a mourning slide for Queen Mary II. Further detail of the piece (or one of a similar nature) can be found in Diana Scarisbrick's book, Ancestral Jewels.
The cipher sits on top of tightly woven hair. Beneath that is the skull and crossbones. All around the slide, written in gold, are the words : "Momento Maria Regina obit 28th Decembris 94."
Royal pieces, such as the slide above, are of a quality not normally available to the public. The heirarchy of mourning and its regard as a status symbol during the later 17th Century would carry through well into the 20th Century (even as the custom declined).
Circular / oval styles became more common in slides during the late 17th Century and into the early 18th Century. The depictions underneath the crystal grow more sophisticated as they evolved, but the sentiment remained the same. Note the evolution of the skull between this time and this ring from 1745. Behind the gold cypher and skull and crossbones memento is a layer of hair and silk, which this picture displays very well. Faceting in the crystal can make viewing pieces of this era difficult, due to reflection, but enhance the desirability of the piece.
Extraordinary is the only way to consider the symbolism used in this piece. From a modern perspective, it may be considered distasteful, but understanding the time, culture and art of the period that it was created, this piece is nothing but a powerful statement for its time. Angel motifs were woven with the earlier memento-mori symbolisms quite commonly in the most popular memorial jewels, and this piece combines the two in a way rarely seen. The angels themselves have skeleton heads, rather than skeletons blowing trumpets (in the poses of angels) or angels flanked by skeletons. These angels have lush enamelled colour (in pink and green) with wings, so they are not depicted in a morbid manner, other than the heads. Of course, this piece also has the typical gold wire cypher over hairwork, but may be one of the only pieces of its kind for the symbolism. But, to have this piece commissioned shows the pinnacle of art and popularity for a piece in this instance; the skeleton heads were not considered a morbid feature, but rather an acknowledgement of mortality. Certainly a piece to be treasured and understood.
Quite lovely for its use of gold cypher, this piece is an honest representation of crystal brooches in the early 18th century. The square shape took the place of the more oval crystals in the 17th century and they would shrink down (depending on their use in jewellery) as the years wore on. See the Rings section for a comprehensive look at crystal development over the 17th century.
| Courtesy: |
Barbara Robbins |
| Year: |
c. 1770-90 |
| Dedication: |
This is the Victory that Overcometh the World, Even Over Faith / Hope of Eternal Life |
Brooches (and rings), especially late 18th Century pieces with their large, navette shape, are often converted pendants. Note any brooch from this time by turning it over and checking the hinge to see if it is original. In the piece above, the symbolism is very unique and quite sentimental. "Hope of Eternal Life" is written on the plinth, with the widow , holding a book (an academic or possibly the bible) pointing towards heaven (deceased moving to heaven). The detail in the sepia is crisp and the sentiment quite unique.
The two love birds on top of the plinth with the quiver in a blossoming garden needs no further
This brooch has 3 dimensional flowers, and the top says "NYPT In The Bud." The inscription on the tomb reads: "Not Time Your Dear Remembrance Can Remove." There is no inscription on the back, but it is quite large, measuring 2 and 1/4 inches long, and 2 inches wide.
Styles of the 18th Century vary wildly from the rigid and judgmental form of the 17th Century. Skeletons became a style of the previous period, but to classify an entire period based upon the evolution of this type of jewellery would be arbitrary. The styles of the jewellery reflected the times. As skeletons and the earlier symbolism became antique, the Age of Enlightenment evolved and art forms changed, so did the jewellery, but its sentiment hardly did. The types of jewellery, such as the loss of the slide and the growing importance of brooches and other forms of jewellery, reflect the changes in fashion.
Two of the greatest art styles to affect mourning and sentimental jewellery are neoclassicism and romanticism. Looking back to classical ideals, a renewal of antique art and thinking, which permeated through to architecture and even literature. The above example holds the words 'Not Lost But Gone Before' and exemplifies this style, with its urn (harkening back to the Greek style and draped for mourning), though it is trapped in a contemporary setting of a church and cemetery. Painted with sepia and hair, this slide is a beautiful example of its form and time.
| Country: |
England |
| Year: |
15th March 1788 |
| Dedication: |
Sarah Honlett Age 14 |
Faith, hope and charity are of the most typical symbols during the 19th century; their nondescript sentimentality and adherence to religious motifs make them popular sentimental tokens throughout jewellery and art. This piece shows just how they evolved during the 18th century and how well they could be combined with other motifs. Specifically, the symbol of the anchor (hope) is held by the widow (or the idealised depiction of woman) in neoclassical dress pointing towards the heavens. The willow frames the piece delicately. Interestingly, faith is combined within the anchor of the cross, but also mixed with neoclassical symbolism, which is a conflict of ideology, as neoclassicism uses pre-Christ thought. However, the time and the place where this was created with of course ecclesiastical in nature, regardless of popular thought or art. Adversely, it may be seen to be an anchor without the cross. Christian symbolism is rife within neoclassical art, whether later contemporary thought applied a set of ideals towards this or it was the intention of the original artist is ambiguous and hard to discern. What is to be remembered is that romanticism and neoclassicism as art forms were fashion; social convention and thought in traditional religious activity was unchanged and evolved. For more on the different nature of symbolism, check the Symbolism section of this site.
This wonderful and rather small (2cm long) brooch has wonderful symbolism for remembrance framing the initials ‘JJ’. It is a testament to the artist in that the detail can be so precise and delicate over such a small canvas.
Love sentimentality permeates through this piece, from the symbolism on the front to the combined hairwork in the back. This bears a close relation to the following piece in that it resonates strong sentimental iconography in the depiction of the artwork. There is a resonant freedom to the symbolism, denoted by the empty cage and the intimacy of the symbolism in the sparrow (intimacy)and in the look of contentment on the faces of the characters Pieces with this form of detail that defied the conventional symbolic norm could were commissioned for personal reference, however, miniaturists specialised in neoclassical depictions that facilitated a demand for this type of piece.
For a work of art from a specific period in jewellery history, there’s nothing so unique as this brooch. Forsaking the common painting of sepia or watercolour, this piece is created in three dimensions with seed pearls and gold, creating a symbolic portrayal out of materials. Surrounded with paste, it shows a peacock sitting atop an unbroken column, but is unfortunately unsigned or dedicated. Created on a blue background, it signifies the consideration that the loved one was royalty. Simply an extraordinary piece to consider when studying neoclassical jewellery.
There’s a mixture of colour within the sepia work of this pendant that makes it an odd collection of styles from its time. As can be seen by the artistry of the piece, it fluctuates between detail and naivety, which may lend towards it being a pre-existing piece that was tailored to fit its commission. Unusually, however, the willow is relegated to the background with the text taking precedence in the foreground, but the widow, urn and plinth are all quite detailed.
1 /3/4 inches from top to bottom, 1 inch from left to right – quite a large piece with one of the most unusual memorial symbols that you’ll see – an elephant! Memory isn’t too discreet a symbol in this piece, but it is beautifully rendered. Note also the pelican as a symbol of the passion of Jesus and the Eucharist.
This particular brooch is a fine example of late 18th century jewellery, in its construction and symbolism. The paste surround and verre eglomise of the quality that one would be expected to find in a larger miniature. The sepia woman holding the lantern is 'lighting the way so that others may see' (an allegory to God) with her right foot forward and the foliage behind her. The difference in the clasp to the piece shows it was a later addition to a pendant.
As the 19th Century approached, styles altered greatly, with the size of the previous pieces growing smaller and the importance of symbolism being held in the materials used and not in paintings on ivory or vellum. Stages of mourning, the move away from romanticism and the techniques of jewellery construction made pieces more accessible to the greater public with more mobility in price and with different levels of grandeur. The above piece with its central late Georgian cluster of pearls around hair and the paste surrounding is an example of the typical oval shape of the time and lends itself well to the formal style of art and architecture. Its elegance is in its simplicity and form.
Eye miniatures are one of the more unusual trends to emerge during the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. Often placed in placed in pendants and brooches, each are highly collectable. The above example from Barbara Robbins with the snakes coiled around (eternal love) can be viewed as a love token or mourning piece. Mourning pieces are easier to identify either by the position of the eye or the setting. Black enameled tear drop settings (sometimes with pearls) are shaped like their namesake; in a teardrop. More is written about eye portraits in the Miniatures section and in the articles section.
Compare the above pieces and notice the stylistic differences. Both are eye pieces, both are love tokens are both are within ten years of the other. Firstly, the quality of the eye on top shows detail covering the entire ivory, whereas the one below has negative space on one side. The setting is also a big difference, with the coral surround (choicest jewel is thy heart) being as well a sentiment as the snake, they both reflect the shift in style through the early 19th Century. The popularity of having surrounds in brooches (and other forms of the jewellery) was quite common in the time, but gave way to bold gold work and eventually enamel.
As with the other examples in this section, this eye portrait is another fine example of its kind. The soft colours used in this piece fade out all other detail surrounding the eye and the curls. The left eye is not shown in this piece, nor is any detail below the eye itself, making it purely anonymous and intrinsic to the wearer. More interestingly is the border of this piece, with the gold work curled over.
This elegant brooch with the name "Sarah" written in seed pearls on top of the hair memento is a unique and personal piece. Stemming from the c.1840s, its style is closer to that of the 1820s in shape, but shows the reliance on enamel work. The symbolism of the stylised wreath next to the bold lettering complements the interior name. With the name inside the piece, this is quite unusual for the time, as a name would be expected to be inscribed upon the back, but here it is the main feature.
| Year: |
First Quater 19th C. |
Unusual shapes are often one of the most important things to look out for when collecting. The first quarter of the 19th century provides some very different shapes, ranging from the oval to the rectangular in placement of the hair memento. This oval piece follows the oval style seen in first quarter 19th century pieces seen in the rings section and is quite delicate in its goldwork. The oval memento if offset from the centre and would have been quite a fine token in its day. The boxed hairwork pattern in the memento is still as bright as when it was constructed.
This Niello brooch is very typical of the Regency period, but the style only lasted for a short time. Other examples can be found in the 19th century ring section, but this piece in particular shows the perfection of geometric design in the early 19th century. The fine cross-hatched work filled with enamel perfectly marry into the smooth cornered edges and give a depth and dimension to the piece which had not been seen in jewellery before or since. The rectangular shape is common for its time, though the heavy weave of the grey hairwork is quite bold for this piece and compliments it perfectly.
The snake motif was a popular symbol of eternal love, as it showed the snake ingesting its own tail, therefore representing eternity. Much thought has been given to Queen Victoria for popularising the snakes (as given to her by Prince Alfred), however, this motif predated her usage by over fifty years. This snake with its foiled garnets and green paste eyes is a supreme representation of the serpent motif and defies the common construction of the time. For its construction (c.1820), This piece should show a more rectangular shape, however, as like eye portrait jewels, it retains its own shape to conform to its style. This makes the snake rounder and more organic in its shape. The 1904 date is discredited very strongly, and there is no constructional, artistic or popular credence given to it being contemporary for this time. Obviously, the date is added later to the piece.
| Courtesy: |
Sarah Nehama |
| Dedication: |
Ann Mary H. Cheever, died July 4 1826, aged 28 years / Augusta Haven, died June 18 1826, aged 21 years |
The style of this brooch shows a clear continuity from the late 18th Century and also outlines the changes of the first quarter of the 19th Century. The black and white enamel bands across the border of the piece is highly reminiscent of pieces that had their genesis in the 1770s (see examples in the Rings section of Art of Mourning), however, the gold edging of the piece and the memento itself is quite progressive of the first quarter 19th century.
Research
Owner and collector Sarah Nehama has done quite extensive research regarding the history of this piece. Below are documents pertaining to this research - click the number for corresponding imagery:
1. Portrait of Dr. Charles Cheever circa 1866. Dr. Cheever married another Haven sister, Adeline, 3 or 4 years after the death of Ann Mary. They had four children, none of which survived past childhood. Of the two sons he's had with Ann Mary, only the youngest survived to adulthood, following in his father's footsteps to become a physician. The second son drowned in the local river at age 12.
2. Excerpt from the memoir of Dr. Charles Cheever, published in Boston in 1854.
3. Pair of portraits of John Haven and Ann Woodward Haven (parents of the two sisters) by Gilbert Charles Stuart 1824 - formerly owned by the NY Public Library, sold at auction in 2005 ($132,000). Gilbert Stuart is most famous for his portrait of George Washington.
4. Home of Dr. Charles A. Cheever, husband of Ann Mary (Haven) Cheever- probably where she died, as he continued to live there after her death (in 1826) until 1850.
5. Second view of original home of Dr. Cheever.
6. Old photo of the original Haven family home built in 1800 (where the sisters grew up). Was demolished circa 1920.
7. Obituary of Ann Mary Haven Cheever from "The Journal", Sat. June 24, 1826
8. Obitiuary of Augusta Haven.
9. Old photo of a room in the interior of the Haven family home
10. Old photo of a room in the interior of the Haven family home
11. My photo of Haven family plot, Proprieter's Cemetery, Portsmouth, NH
12. Closeup of tomb of Augusta Haven, buried along with her parents.
Link Ann Woodward is the two sisters' mother- you can see a list of her children and reference the 2 sisters, Ann Mary, and Augusta, individually from there.
The bow is a symbol of love and eternity that resonates through many different forms of wearable jewellery (which particularly shares the same family as the buckle). Notice the fleur-de-lis influence as well and the surrounding pearls to the hair memento. These are flourishes which make the attention to detail in this particular piece a very nice transition between the popular Regency and Victorian art styles. The pearl surrounds and the delicacy of the goldwork shows the Regency era and the boldness shows what would become more familiar during the middle 19th Century. The hair memento is overly busy as a weave and not as refined as it could be, but that may lean to the hair being of its actual owner, which was not the common practice of the time. Hair was given to jewellers in order to produce mementos, but most hair donated was unusable, hence hair bought from the Continent and surrounding Europe was more feasible in a construction and financial perspective.
This wonderful brooch consists of yellow gold with foiled amethysts/pastes. Note the thick hair weave and the fashionable goldwork to the rim of the memento.
| Courtesy: |
Sarah Nehama |
| Dedication: |
Keep This As A Small Token Of Love |
| Year: |
1837 |
This dainty and elegant piece is quite unique! The most typical thing about it is the ridge to the goldwork of its surrounding which is carried over from the 1820s, but its sentiment is quite lovely and personal. The delicate knot of the hair over the cross and the pearls shows some very intelligent design in its construction.
By the 1830s, styles became grander, with machine working on gold lockets and pinchbeck became more of a common material in jewellery (which made it cheaper and more accessible). This brooch from around the time of 1840 shows the fine hairwork housed inside, as it is entwined with gold and pearls. The other obvious feature found commonly from this time on (though is was also widely used previously) is its bold black enamel work and the inscription of 'In Memory Of'.
| Year: |
18 July, 1846 |
| Dedication: |
Rob M. Voy, Aged 4 Years |
This elegant piece from 1846 is in between styles, the clean, formerly Georgian, style is giving way to the bolder flourishes of the Victorian age. It should be noted that despite the age of the child, the enamel work is black, not white.
This fan piece shows a single hand holding a spray (often a wreath) of flowers (frequently used in mourning jewellery, but more often from Whitby jet). It is a motif used in memory of a husband or sweetheart. The gold work shows the remnants of the 1830s edging in the heavy floral motif design around the edge and the diamond (true love) accentuates this piece quite brilliantly.
| Courtesy: |
Barbara Robbins |
| Dedication: |
“My Sister and My Darling April 21 & 22 nd 1850 266 Walnut Street." |
| Year: |
1850 |
14K yellow gold, 2” x 1”. This brooch comes from the Philadelphia area; Walnut street is still in existence, but 266 does not exist now. As a piece constructed in 1850, this shows modesty and elegance. For a time when brooches were becoming bigger and surroundings more elaborate, this keeps the oval shape and charm of its materials. The gold finely encapsulates the dual-weave hairwork, creative a luscious balance of colour. The detail of the inscription is very fine as well, pushing this into the realm of fine jewellery.
Bolder style was in its element during the 1860s. This can be attributed to the mourning of Queen Victoria from 1861, but also tells of the evolution in costume and everyday dress.
| Year: |
c. 1860 |
| Dedication: |
To D.H.R from her affectionate mother. |
The brooch above is a love token given to a daughter from her mother. The exchange of hair, or pieces with hairwork, do not denote mourning, but can be love tokens or simply sentimental jewellery. The more interesting point about this piece is its size, nearly 10cm across.
During the 1870s and later, flourishes of mourning jewellery remained largely static, with more variation occurring in more day to day pieces, such as rings. This brooch above is not one that shows great wealth, but a rather simple memorial piece. From this time until before the start of World War 1, lockets and more hidden personal items were more popular than brooches, as well as photographic jewellery with an individual's image within.
Not necessarily a memorial piece, the vulcanite hand only links itself to the first stage of mourning in its material, but as a motif and a brooch, it was simply a popular item of the time. By the latter 1880s, the reliance on mourning jewellery was relaxed and other forms of jewellery began to become popular2.
