pnvc1023-Victorian Whitby Jet mourning pin

Victorian Whitby jet mourning pin. 2 x 2.5 inches.

Jet, a close relative of coal, was mined in and around the English town of Whitby in the Victorian period primarily for use in mourning jewelry. Brought into fashion by Queen Victoria after the death of her husband Albert, mourning in the reign of Victoria was a long process with strict rules of dress that needed to be accompanied by the proper jewelry accessories. This pin is a fabulous example o the complex and beautiful mourning jewelry crafted from English jet. Constructed of several pieces bolted together with delicate brass pins, the artist has used both matte and polished jet elements as well as engraving to add depth and interest to this cmpletely black pin. Matte hand-carved jet loops terminate in polished jet beads that move and sway. the pinback is origianl and in excellent working condition with a very straight and strong pin.