Age of Carved Photo Locket

Nifty looking photo locket with carved portrait. Interesting thing is that when you hold the carving to the light you can see that it is red in color. Any idea what it is and age? Also, do you think the necklace is original with the locket? The beads appear to be made of wood. Thanks!

 

That, my friend, is a very nice mourning or maybe sentimental watch fob which has nothing to do with the necklace. Either rose gold or rolled rose gold - but I favour rose gold - with woven hair in the back and from what you've said, I suspect an intaglio carved carnelian seal. Early 19th C. The seal may be older than that.

The necklace is an irrelevance.

 

The stone on the back looks like onyx,really can't tell what the carved is.

 

Agree the back looks like onyx, which is typical for mourning fobs. If it's showing red, carnelian is likely, also typical for intaglio.

 

Cool. That's good news! I don't like the necklace at all! THANKS for the information!

 

You're very welcome. The fob is a nice thing - carving may be Naples.

 

The necklace bit can be removed with impunity, and it may increase the value. The wood beads are worth a few bucks to a hobbyist, but that's about it. A piece of mourning hair jewelry with the hair intact...score!

 

Isn't it just - and two separate hair colours as well. I wonder if one was wife and one child, so maybe one mourning and one sentimental. Sheer speculation, but that's the fascination of such things.

Looking at the intaglio, I do think this is late 18th into early 19th, thinking about it. That neo classical hair style suggest it.

 

The wood beads look like they lost their original pendant, probably shell or bone, and the mourning fob was globbed on there in a moment of inspiration or desperation.