Featured Victorian Mourning pendant

Is this a Victorian mourning pendant ? No markings and it feels like glass or stone.

Thank You

Billy D.

 

How big is this piece? It may have been a watch fob.

 

Hi Peggy, it's approx. 1"

 

That's nice. Might be lava. Might be sealing wax. Might be pretty old too - maybe 18th C. Could be an impression from an antique intaglio seal.

Maybe you should edit the title to include "Cameo"

Look under Thread Tools. I think you can edit the title there. The thing is: you want the people who know cameos to take a look.

 

It's very pretty and looks old to me.

 

Most likely black glass.
Originally around 1880s- 1910s

Redone in the 1950s as charm bracelets.
Looking at your bezel, my first inclination was the 1950s. Now I'm not sure.
Wait for the jewelry gurus.

 

The Czechs did a lot of these in the 20s/30s; I suspect that's what it is. It may have been a fob and may have been part of an earring or pendant. Beyond that..dunno.

 

Thanks evelyb30

 

is it glass or does it feel more like rubber? gutta percha is popping into my head.

 

The cameo looks old, but the bezel doesn't as was stated before. The bezel is also off-center which is odd.

 

Hmm, okay Thanks for that info.

 

It's not really set off center,it is a "cinch" mounting which has opened up a little and the stone has twisted. The stone may be onyx and could have over a 50 year time period.

 

onyx maybe, that's cool. Thank You Holly

 

Looks like Victorian mourning jewelry. Jet was a popular stone, but looks like it might be pressed glass...? This article shows how to test for jet...https://www.thespruce.com/identifying-and-testing-jet-149512

 

Very cool Laura, nice website too. Thank You

 

Has the material become a bit brown in places on the front or is it just grimy? My strongest impression from the front is that it is Vulcanite or similar, meant to look like jet. Sometimes called 'French jet.' The back has a more jet-like appearance.

The cameo is definitely molded, not carved, so not stone. Surfaces do not look shiny enough for glass. Possible front is artificial material while back is a separate piece of jet. Figure is an Ariadne type:

http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/record/D4913B30-F3E7-4BBE-B257-7722293460FD

Other than being black, there is nothing about the piece that would qualify it as mourning jewelry.

 

Looks like grime from here; I have two or three of the black glass Czech cameos. It looks like grunge. I'd take a toothbrush to it and see what comes off.

 

In case it is something like Vulcanite, you need to be cautious with any cleaning. Let us know what happens with the moderate application of a dry toothbrush.

 

I thought it was gutta percha too. Then Bronwen mentioned vulcanite!

 

Oh, and it is almost certainly a fob.