Memorial Day...A Time For Remembrance

Friendship Cemetery, Columbus, Ms.

 While Memorial Day is a holiday often associated with the beginning of summer fun, it is meant to be a day of remembrance. (Originally called Decoration Day because the graves of the fallen were decorated with flowers.) It is a day to stop and remember all of those men and women who gave everything for their country and beliefs. Sometimes fighting by choice and sometimes fighting because it was someone else's choice. Young and old. All races. Lives lost for a cause. For freedom.

Antique Victorian Mourning Locket From The 1860s

 April 25, 1866, in my hometown, Columbus, Ms., the women of the town gathered on the front porch or a neighbor's home. Friendship Cemetery was full of fresh graves, all a sad reminder of the Civil war. These woman made it their duty to honor these men and boys. (Yes, boys. Sadly you hear of teenagers who fought.) Confederate soldiers and Union soldiers. Many of them buried as "Unknown", but they were not always unknown. They were everyday people. Men and boys with families...wives, children, mothers, fathers...Men who fought for a cause. Right or wrong no longer mattered. Their families would never know the fate of their loved ones or where they were laid to rest. 

Unknown Soldiers Grave At Friendship Cemetery, Columbus, Ms.

The women of Columbus started a yearly tradition of laying flowers at the graves of all of these soldiers. There are hundreds of these "Unknown" graves at Friendship Cemetery. Whenever my sister and I go back home, we always make a trip to this cemetery. It is very sobering when you see so many of these graves in one place. You cannot help but think of the families who never knew what happened to their loved ones. Sad, but for every war...their is the "Unknown" soldier grave site.

My Nephew, Ben Schaffer

Ben is a reenactor. He actually reenacts as a Confederate and a Union soldier. (Oh and as a Revolutionary War soldier.) History should be remembered so that does not repeat itself. I just pray that he never has to see a real battle. That war will one day be a thing of the past. But until war is no more. Whether you are for or against it. Let us remember those who lost everything while serving for their country.

Have a safe Memorial Day.

Marked...British Registry Marks

Victorian Scottish Luckenbooth Pin

Learning about silver hallmarks, particularly on antique jewelry, can be quite confusing. Especially when you don’t know where to start. This is an article that I wrote several years ago. I hope that you will find it useful in your research.

Looking through my collection of antique jewelry, I ran across a Scottish Luckenbooth pin. The history and lore behind Luckenbooth pins is quite fascinating on it’s own. My sister has traced our family roots back to Scotland. So I thought this pin would make a great gift for her. 

The pin does not have any of the usual hallmarks that I had seen on British silver jewelry. So after a lot of researching (years)…I was at a loss. I did an image search on Google for antique Luckenbooth pins. (I have found the Google image search to be a great research tool.) Of the few pins that looked similar to mine, and were hallmarked, I ran across the words “diamond mark” and “British Registry”. I did a search on these terms and low and behold ...there was my answer. The marks on my pin are not silver hallmarks. They are British registry marks! I was so excited! (OK…It does not take much for me!)

The marks on the back of the pin are kind of like early design copyrights. So I found out that the design of my pin was registered on February 22, 1866. That does not mean that my pin was actually made on that date. It could have been produced a few years earlier or many years later. But that date was the date that the design was officially registered with the British government. I had already formed an opinion as to the age of the pin from it‘s style and construction, and I was pretty close. The British Registry is not only for jewelry, but for all types of items that would need protection for their designs. For example: metal items, furniture, ceramics…etc.

Registry mark on the back of the Luckenbooth pin.

Here is the link to the site that explains the British Registry. http://www.925-1000.com/registry.html

It has a great chart that is easy to use. This site is also a wealth of information for silver hallmarks! I hope that my findings will save you some time. Maybe this is what you have been searching for as well! I think it is information worth sharing. This is a wonderful site that I use and refer people to often. 

I hope that this has helped someone out there! Looking for some really interesting pieces of antique and vintage jewelry? Visit my shop, Wicked Darling.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dog Days of Summer - Victorian Dog Locket - Spinner Fob

This antique Victorian era locket - spinner fob is magnificent! It has two dogs, Spaniels or perhaps Labradors, standing face to face at the top. It is an extremely large piece and very heavy! I have not tested the locket as to metal content, but it has a gold tone. On one side is a beautiful agate and the flip side is bloodstone. It dates to the 1850s - 1860s. The Civil War Era.

Look at the amazing detail in the dogs!

You can see in this photo how the locket part flips. The locket is very deep and would have easily held a tintype or daguerreotype photo.

Here is a view of the front and back. The edges are beautiful!

You can see here that it opens on both sides.

This is a view of the inside of the locket.

Look how massive this locket fob is! Just a beauty! I have been wanting to share this piece with you for sometime now. I hope that you have enjoyed seeing it. Thank you so much for stopping by!

Happy Collecting!

To see more antique and vintage jewelry, please stop by my shop.

Wicked Darling

Embellishment - Victorian Locket

Isn't this locket a beauty! So ornate. Totally embellished to the hilt! It would have been just as pretty with only the hand painted enameled center...but wait! Let's add some green gold leaves. OK...are we done yet? No...I think it needs some applied pink gold flowers and some raised nodules or points on the sides. OK! Now we are done? Nope! Let's add some seed pearls set in buttercup settings. OK. Now we are done? Well at least for the front.

This piece is typical of the 1860s to 1870s. Large and ornate, yet very feminine and soft in nature.

Now for the back of the piece. It once had a pin stem and a bale for wearing as a pendant and a brooch. But why stop there! It is also a locket. This hidden locket compartment would hold a photo or memento of someone special. Allowing the wearer to hide her secret affections. No one would be any the wiser of this lady's feelings towards that someone special. With the onset of photography and the technology of making photos widely available to the common folk, lockets became hugely popular and they remain so even to this day.

Here you can see the side view of this locket. You gently pull up on the rim at the top, and the glass cover will lift off. This piece still has the original tinted paper insert and glass.

Just a beautiful locket in need of some minor repairs. Then it can once again hold that secret someone close to the heart.

Happy Collecting!
To see more antique and vintage jewelry, stop by my shop.
Wicked Darling

Show and Tell Monday - Locket With a Past

It's Monday and time for Show and Tell! Today I want to share this wonderful locket with you. I am always touched when I find a photo in a locket. Especially when it has obviously been there for so many years. SO many collectors and dealers will remove these photos and I think it is such a shame. Part of the locket's soul...gone forever. (OK...so I am a drama queen!) I can say for sure that as long as I own this locket, this handsome man's image will remain inside.

As with the locket that I showed you on Sunday, this is a huge locket. It measures approximately 2 1/2" x 1 3/8". Not quite as heavy and not quite as ornate as the locket that I showed you yesterday, but stunning in it's own ways. It also dates to the Civil War era. C1860 give or take a few years. It has gorgeous granular work that is typical of the Etruscan styles seen in this era.

Look at those delicate gold flowers! All handmade and applied by a master craftsman. In the center we have five tiny natural pearls.

A closer look at the artistry that makes this a fabulous locket!

You can see how well made the bale is on this piece. Beautiful from every angle!

Here he is. This handsome young man with a mustache and wavy hair. Hand tinted cheeks. Piercing eyes.

I will always wonder who he was. This well dressed young man. One also has to wonder just who carried his photo so close to their heart and treasured this locket so many years ago.

I hope that you have enjoyed today's Show and Tell!

Happy Collecting!
For more antique and vintage jewelry, be sure to visit my shop! :)
Wicked Darling

Show and Tell Sunday - Victorian Locket - Best of the Best!

Sometimes I have trouble parting with my treasures, so I decided to have "Show and Tell" posts. I could not think of a better piece to start with than this magnificent Civil War era locket. It dates to the 1860s. During this era, just prior to the Civil War and during, it was a sign of status and wealth if you had the biggest house...the biggest dresses...and the biggest jewelry! This locket does not disappoint! It measures approximately 2" x 1 1/4" x 1/4". It is massive, very solid and very heavy.

The attention to detail is so amazing! It is done in the Etruscan style. The wire work and granular design work is so intricate! Each tiny green and pink gold leaf is hand applied with so much skill and expertise. Only a master jeweler could have accomplished this.

Even the inside is very impressive. You can see the workmanship in the hinge.

And finally a side view.

I hope that you have enjoyed seeing this beauty!

Happy collecting!

For more antique and vintage jewelry, be sure to visit my shop! :)
Wicked Darling