ANTIQUE CAMEO, MOURNING PENDANT, HERMES MESSENGER OF GOD CARVED JET ON PORCELAIN,STAMP 9ct GOLD

 VICTORIAN MOURNING PENDANT JET ON PORCELAIN

SHIPPING AND HANDLING COST FOR BUYER  you are welcome to combine small items....

THIS, AND ALL OF MY OTHER ITEMS ARE LISTED ON OTHER SELLING SITES ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS.....

SO SMALL AND DAINTY AND I THINK A RARE PIECE....ANTIQUE, VICTORIAN MOURNING PENDANT, CARVED WHITBY JET UPON A PORCELAIN, RECTANGULAR TABLET 2cm x 1cm SET IN 9ct GOLD...STAMPED H.&Co. THE OVAL CUT OUT 1.6cm x 1cm, THE CAMEO CARVING 1cm x .6cm....THE JET CAMEO IS AN IMAGE OF HERMES, WEARING HIS WINGED CAP, WHO WAS / IS THE GREEK MYTHOLOGICAL GOD, WHO SERVED AS A GUIDE BETWEEN THE LIVING AND THE DEAD, SUCH AN INTERESTING AND MEANINGFUL PIECE OF MOURNING JEWELERY. THE CAMEO CARVING HAS SO MUCH PERFECT DETAIL FOR SOMETHING SO TINY....

MOURNING JEWELLERY HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 16 CENTURY BUT IT IS WIDELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE VICTORIAN ERA WHEN MASS PRODUCTION MADE IT AFFORDABLE. THE TREND REACHED ITS HIGH POINT AFTER THE DEATH OF PRINCE ALBERT IN 1861. QUEEN VICTORIA, AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF HER COURT WORE BLACK CLOTHING AND MATCHING MOURNING JEWELLERY FOR DECADES.....THANKS TO THIS ROYAL EXAMPLE JEWELLERY BECAME QUITE FASHIONABLE. THE BEST PIECES WERE MADE OF JET, A FOSSILIZED COAL FOUND NEAR WHITBY, ENGLAND...LESS EXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVES INCLUDE BLACK GLASS, BLACK ENAMEL, VULCANITE (A HARDENED RUBBER) AND BOG OAK.