Silver Hallmarks On Antique Jewelry

This is not a terribly long post...but I just wanted to share a site that I use quite often. It is
www.925-1000.com. I find this site so useful! It has silver hallmarks from all over the world and the site is very easy to navigate! If you will follow their step by step instructions...it will be fairly clear how to use all of the charts and pages. Below are some examples of antique British silver jewelry.

A Beautiful Silver Victorian Locket

This is the back of the locket.

The maker's mark is the "S. Bros". I believe that the maker's mark is for Sydenham Brothers...However the maker's marks can sometimes be open for interpretation as so many look like other marks. Below the maker's mark is the anchor showing that the piece is silver. Followed by the "q". That is the letter for the year 1890. The lion is for Birmingham, England. So...if I did that correctly...this is the right information for this locket.

With the pin below, we kind of have somewhat of an idea about what year the pin was produced...because of the subject. This pin was made to commemorate Queen Victoria's Jubilee...50 years of reign in 1887...The date is on the front? Right? Well once again if I did the charts correctly, this pin was actually made the year before in 1886. (In preparation for the event.)

Oddly enough...I think that we have the same maker's mark as the locket shown above! I purchased both of these pieces separately and many years apart.

A Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Pin Commemorating 50 years of reign.

This is a trick that I use that may help you...Having trouble seeing a mark on a piece? Even with a close up shot? You can make the photo negative...9 out of 10 times...you can see the image more clearly! I know! Who would have thunk it! It does help!

I hope that this has been a useful post! I know some of you will be offended by this photo...but sorry...it cracks me up! All of this talk about England...well...this has always reminded me of a "baby Winston Churchill"...or my Uncle Jimmy. :) I in no way, shape or form endorse children smoking! No disrespect intended!

God Save The Queen!

Victorian Bird Lockets

I am writing this post with my sister in mind. She loves her birds...and I am terrified of them! I know that at any moment it will be like that famous Hitchcock movie...I will end end up with my hair a mess and my eyes pecked out! That being said, I do LOVE Victorian lockets that feature birds. They are so beautiful and full of Victorian sentiment.

Victorian Enameled Bird Locket


The Victorians used birds in jewelry to symbolize many things. I ran across this website and absolutely love it! Art Of Mourning. It is one of the most beautiful and informative sites relating to Victorian symbolism. Glorious photos! If you are looking for the meaning of a flower, animal or just about anything in the way of Victorians...then by all means...check out this site!

Victorian Mourning Locket With Black Enamel

These two Victorian mourning lockets were in my collection. The first locket with the mother bird on her nest is now being used by a family for a mourning locket. Someday I may write about the story. It is very touching...and always brings tears to my eyes. I was just so touched that it is now being used for the same purpose it was used for over 100 years ago.

A Victorian Etruscan Revival Locket Showing A Bird In The Hand

A Victorian Mourning Locket That I recently sold from my Etsy shop Wicked Darling



And Finally...two birds for sure! My sister and me...many years ago! Love ya!

Welcome!

Ahhhhh....my first blog post. I know that there are so many of us out there...that love antique jewelry! I just wanted to post this pic to start with. I am jewelry crazy...not computer savvy...so it may take me a few posts to work out the kinks! Right now getting my photos to be in the correct spot is perplexing to me! :) My next post will show more lockets that I have owned...and just to let you know...I have so many pics of antique jewelry to share with you! So do check back!

A Gorgeous Victorian Sea Serpent Locket C1900

I have two online shops. One is Love And Honor at Ruby Lane and my other shop is on Etsy and is called Wicked Darling. Both of my shops feature antique to vintage jewelry. I am partial to the Victorian and Georgian eras...mourning and sentimental jewelry...so my shops reflect my taste. I try to add things on a regular basis...but I can be a procrastinator at times...and sometimes just trying to decide what I am willing to part with can become a daunting task! :)


In the future I will be showing you items from both of my online shops as well as pieces from my personal collection that have either sold or that I can not part with. :)