How Did the Locket Come to Be?

Lockets rank among the oldest known pieces of jewelry. Researchers usually mention them in the same breath as amulets and pendants. In earliest times, the locket would open up to contain sacred engravings and substances. Some lockets were actually small vessels that could hold anything from salt to blood or holy water.

In the 15th century, lockets frequently contained a painting of the reigning monarch as well as a symbol taken from his or her coat of arms. Historians know that Queen Elizabeth I had a fondness for giving lockets containing a painted image of herself to people she sought to reward. Sir Francis Drake was a recipient of this type of prize. His locket featured her painting as well as the symbol of the phoenix.

The initial heyday for the locket was in the 17th century. Called a lavaliere after the Duchesse de La Vallière, her status at the court of Louis le Grand turned her affinity for wearing heavy opening pendants into a craze that soon spread this fashion statement among royals, nobles and anyone else at court. It did not take long for the lavaliere to cross the borders into Spain, Russia, Denmark and England. Eventually, lockets also made their way to America.

It was in 18th and 19th century Britain that lockets became one of the most popular items of wearable art. Frequently associated with mourning jewelry, these lockets were in memory of a decedent. It is said that Queen Victoria helped fuel the creation and prolific use of mourning jewelry. Mourning lockets might contain an image or daguerreotype of the departed friend or family member as well as a lock of hair. The exterior of the lockets would feature ornamentation in the form of flowers. Common themes were lily-of-the-valley or forget-me-not plants.

At that time, some of the most intricate artwork with human hair as the medium would be created. For example, artists might make backdrops of weeping willows out of human hairs. Placed behind a thin sheet of glass, these pieces of art would be worn by women during the mourning period prescribed by British custom. Favorite material choices included onyx, enamel, diamonds and human hair. Later on, gutta-percha would also become a sought after material. Plenty of these pieces are still in circulation and are now sold at auction or as curiosities on the Internet.

What sets apart the modern American locket from other pieces of body ornamentation is the functionality of the device. Generally speaking, lockets open up to display two slightly hollowed out halves. These pieces form a whole that usually offers just enough space to display a small photograph and perhaps a lock of hair. Wearers usually attach lockets to a chain that is then to be placed around the neck although in the 19th century, it was a common practice for women to wear lockets pinned on their belts.

Peter Suchy Jewelers invites you to visit our showroom at 1137 High Ridge Road in Stamford Connecticut—we offer a wide variety of estate and vintage lockets, pendants and amulets.

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