Antique Victorian Mourning Swallow Bird Nest Vulcanite PUFFY Pendant Locket

Just under 1 3/4 (excluding bail). 1 3/8" and almost 7/8" thick at its thickest point.

A mesmerizing symbol of strength in grief. This Victorian mourning locket, molded from vulcanite in highly detailed raised relief, depicts a swallow watching over a nest. With charming detail in the reeds and ferns from which the birds rest and the gentle imagery, this piece is certain to pique anyone's curiosity and give them a glimpse into the deeper meaning behind the piece. Its bold, thick size provides a roomy cache for storing your own piece of the story close to your heart.

Bright patina with minimal surface wear to the gold setting. Fresh sheen, light surface wear, and no chipping on the vulcanite. The original frame holds your photo tightly in place with a glass insert.

Closes firmly with a satisfying snap. Symbolism in antique and vintage jewelry is common, yet it can be hard to spot if you don't know what you're looking for. Often, specific natural gemstones, flowers, birds, and motifs like stars and anchors were imbued with meanings that have fallen out of present-day society's collective memory.

To appreciate the power of symbols in antique jewelry is to imagine what it would have been like to wear the piece and step back into history. Mourning jewelry from the Georgian and Victorian eras were special, custom pieces designed in the memory of a deceased loved one. While many mourning pieces used dark materials like natural onyx or jet to convey grief, they were often surprisingly hopeful, as the majority of the western world believed they would one day be reunited with their loved one in the afterlife.

Pieces incorporated symbols that represented this hope or the characteristics of their loved one, as well as locks of hair or small portraits. Today, collecting and wearing antique mourning jewelry is to honor the memory of a real person and appreciate the sentimentality of a bygone era. _gsrx_vers_1608 GS 9.5 (1608).

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