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Paste jewellery offers us incredible insight into the opulence of the Georgian era. Diamonds had dominated the fashions of the aristocratic classes, with their ability to sparkle brilliantly by candlelight. The taste for Rococo style meant that the larger and more elaborate jewellery designs were sought after to dazzle audiences at the many festivities and balls. Luxuries were reserved for the elite classes and extravagant jewels were unattainable to the lower classes of feudal Britain and France. However, such ostentatious displays of wealth led to many opportunistic crimes committed in desperation by the lower-class citizens. Highway robberies became a common and dangerous occurrence for the elite aristocrats who often travelled by carriage at night between festivities.

The Invention of Paste Jewellery

The invention of paste gemstones answered the needs of the emerging middle classes of Europe and of the aristocratic partygoers of high society. Paste is a term given to imitation gemstones that are made from glass. The production of glass stones had been underway in Venice for many centuries, however, these glass imitations were molded and lacked the sparkle of real gemstones (5.1). It wasn't until 1675 that English glassmaker, George Ravenscroft, developed a version of flint glass that contained a high lead content. This version had high dispersion and a higher refractive index than molded glass or rock crystal and was hard enough to withstand faceting and polishing (5.2). This version was met with widespread popularity across England and thrived for the next 200 years.

Parisian jeweller, George Frederic Strass, continued to pioneer the invention of paste jewellery and in the 1720's he created a superior material that would become synonymous with the trade of paste jewellery. "His shop on the Quai des Orfevres was the most famous paste jewellers, with pieces designed in the latest fashions and set in silver with as much care as if they were diamonds" (3.2). Strass's version was polished with metal powder to create a higher brilliance to the stones, making them a convincing imitation to diamonds, particularly when worn in the nighttime in the flickering candlelight. The popularity of Strass's version of paste jewellery become so significant that he was appointed jeweller to the French Crown. This recognition led to paste jewellery in France being referred to as strass jewellery.

Rhinestone Jewellery

Another popular substitute of the time were rhinestones. In modern times, we associate rhinestones as a part of costume jewellery, however, rhinestones in their truest form refers to rock crystal of a specific geographical origin. Rock crystal from the Rhine (Rhein) River in Germany were cut, faceted and polished to create a colourless gemstone substitute for diamond. The term rhinestone is indicative of this geographical origin, however, throughout history the term was widely applied to rock crystal from other locations and then later to glass or even plastic versions.

This Georgian era portrait miniature brooch and pendant is crafted in silver with rhinestones set into the border. The woman in the portrait is portrayed in Regency era garb with a black choker ribbon and feather headdress. The ribbon motif at the top of the pendant was also common during Georgian era jewellery.

Georgian era paste jewellery allowed for the developing middle class to participate in the opulent fashions of the time but at a price point which they could afford to pay. For the elite classes, they were able to have jewellery pieces made to keep up with current fashions, without having to remodel their family jewels. A trend also developed to have expensive jewellery pieces recreated using paste stones. This was implemented by the elite classes and even the royal families, as it allowed them to wear their jewellery to events without the fear of having them stolen by highway robbers.

Paste jewellery is now highly collectable as they serve as rare examples of designs from the Georgian era. These are sort after as many jewels from this era were remodelled or destroyed to compete with changing fashions.

These items are currently on display at Kalmar Antiques.

Sources:

Navette Jewellery (29th May 2017) 'History of imitation gemstones: glass and paste', History of Imitation Gemstones – Paste and glass gemstones – navette jewellery

Phillips, Clare (2019) 'Jewels & jewellery'; Thames & Hudson V&A

There are rare occasions when jewellery can connect us to an exact time in history. These tangible connections serve as poignant reminders of those who came before us and of the struggles which they faced. Jewellery from the time of the suffragette movement is a prime example of jewellery connecting us, not only to people of the past, but the political struggle for women's voting rights within Britian and the United States.

The suffragette movement took place in Britain and the United States of America from the late 19th to the early 20th centuries. The word suffrage is derived from the Latin word 'suffragium', meaning the right or privilege to vote. There were many different issues debated throughout the movement, but the lasting impact was the voting rights of women. The fight for women's voting rights was taken on by varying organisations, however, the basis for the suffragette movement started with the National Union of Women's Suffrage which was founded by Millicent Fawcett in 1897. The work of the National Union was carried on by lead suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst who later founded the Women's Social and Political Union in 1903. It was the efforts led by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters that have become the most synonymous with the suffragette movement within Britain.

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Suffragette necklace with detachable brooch

As the strength of the movement grew, supporters wanted to show their pride and allegiance to the cause through methods of self-presentation. The colours of green, white and violet became coded symbolism for the suffragette movement and were used as effective branding by the WSPU. There are two dominate theories as to why these colours were selected. The first, is the symbolism associated with the chosen colours; green symbolising hope, white representing purity and violet meaning dignity. The second theory, is the coded meaning of the colours when used to create an acrostic message. This message is created by using the first initial of each colour to spell out the secret message; (G)ive (W)omen the (V)ote.

These colours and the use of jewellery was deeply associated with the suffragette movement. Brooches were awarded to members of the movement whom made sacrifices for the cause. This included serving jail time for protest-related offences and who engaged in hunger strikes for the cause. A specific brooch called the Holloway brooch was designed by Syliva Pankhurst and gifted to suffragettes to mark their release from Holloway prison. “The design incorporates a portcullis symbol of the House of Commons, and convict symbol and hanging chains with a purple, white, and green ribbon superimposed on the front" (Dahms, 2018). These particular brooches were gifted internally within the organisation, however, jewellery using the tricolour scheme was available to the wider public in order for them to show their support to the cause.

The Holloway Brooch, Image Source: Antique Animal Jewellery

Eventually, the support of the suffragette movement had reached such popularity that larger commercial enterprises began to express their support. London based jeweller, Mappin and Web, released a range of suffragette jewellery in their 1908 Christmas catalogue. The large department store, Selfridges, also showed their support to the cause offering ranges of clothing for women in the suffragette tricolours and selling red lipstick, which women had taken to wearing as a sign of their fierce independence. “Selfridges advertised regularly in the suffragette paper Votes for Women, and designed clothes for the women to wear at their demonstrations. "Huge numbers of women would turn out for these demonstrations and create a tricolor tide overtaking the streets of London" (Dahms, 2018). Suffragette jewellery remains highly collectable and are important reminders of our human history. These pieces of jewellery feature gemstones in the famous tricolour scheme of green, white and purple. 

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Suffragette necklace featuring peridot, pearls and amethyst

Shop Suffragette Jewellery

Sources:

Antique Animal Jewellery (2022). Suffragette jewellery; https://www.antiqueanimaljewelry.com/post/suffrage-jewelry 

Dahms, Sebastian (2018). The history of suffragette jewellery; Friar House Jewellery: https://friarhouse.com/blogs/friar-house-antique-jewellery/the-history-of-suffragette-jewellery 

Smith, Jodie (2016). 'The history of suffragette jewellery: a guide to suffragette jewellery; ACS Silver: https://blog.acsilver.co.uk/2016/06/16/history-suffragette-jewellery/ 

Yaegar, Lynn (2015). Inside the suffragette jewellery box: how women of the movement wore their pride on their sleeves; Vogue Magazine: https://www.vogue.com/article/suffrage-jewelry-history 

This mourning ring is the next item in our Kalmar Vault series and from this ring we begin to understand Christian iconography and mourning rituals prevalent at the turn of the 20th century. Pieces such as this one offers us a unique portal into history and to those who came before us. The inscription of this piece reads “Dad died 4th of March 1900" on the inside of the band with the initials inscribed upon the heart at the front of the piece. The intention of this piece is clear in its purpose to serve as a memento of a Father by his family. 

To understand the layer of emotion entwined with this mourning ring we must first understand the context of the symbolism chosen to adorn the front of this piece. The front of the ring features the three symbols of Christian virtue including the cross, anchor and heart. These symbols displayed in unison represent faith, hope and charity and have become a common allegory used in jewellery design.

Cathedral dome mural personifying faith, hope and charity. Source: Marywood University 

It is important to note that in this context the term charity is interchangeable with the word love. Charity in Christian thought signifies the highest form of love, an unselfish love of ones fellow man based on the reciprocal love between man and God (Britannica, 2022). The mention of these virtues can be found in the Christian writings of St. Paul who, in a letter to the church at Thessalonian as they faced persecution, stated “we remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 1:3). The symbolism that would come to represent these virtues was later produced through various art practices with slight changes to the iconography over time.

The heart allegory, signifying charity, was originally depicted as a woman with small children around her but was later adapted to the heart shape in artworks from the late 14th century (Navette Jewellery, 2021). The anchor symbol to represent hope can be traced back to the New Testament Book of Hebrews in the passage “have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" (Hebrews 6:18. 19). The anchor as a symbol of hope gained further relevance during the Napoleonic Wars when many men were seafaring and was interpreted as a symbol of hopes of a safe return (Erica Weiner, 2021). The cross is a more obvious signifier of the Christian faith that is still widely used today. We see these three symbols frequently portrayed together across art practices such as tapestry, painting and sculptures in the 17th century. The three virtues can be seen in jewellery design as early as the Georgian era but gained wide popularity in jewellery design from the late 18th century.

The incorporation of the three virtues in this mourning ring can be seen as a direct link to the deceased and their Christian faith. “Theology is one of the primary reasons for the creation of mourning and sentimental jewels, being a key identifier in someone's understanding of the afterlife and their relationship virtues" (Peters, 2022). Therefore, the inclusion of these symbols was a purposeful choice by the person who commissioned the mourning ring, whether that be the family or the deceased person themselves prior to their passing. 

The other element of this ring is the hair work detail that is woven around the band. The inclusion of hair in jewellery was common from the Georgian era onwards as sentimental tokens of love and friendship as well as for commemorative purposes. In this particular ring the hair is included as a personal relic from the deceased and has been included as a memento.

The gifting of mourning rings at funerals had become common practice throughout the Victorian era but was particularly prevalent after the death of Prince Albert when Queen Victoria plunged England into an era of high mourning. The influence of the grieving monarch over her nation kick started an industry designed to meet the needs of these strict societal protocols. Standards of dress were to be adhered to after the loss of a loved one and the distribution of mourning rings at funerals was seen as a comment on the class and status of the family. These mourning practices spread across the United States as well as Britain as the Civil War left many grieving families in its wake. Australia was also adhering to these practices with its direct influence as a Commonwealth Nation of Britain. “That people could afford these jewels is even more remarkable, given that producing bespoke rings in volume was not as easy a task as it was in the 19th century, following the use lower grade alloys and machinery development during the Industrial Revolution" (Peters, 2022). The time which this ring was produced was at the turn of the century when societal attitudes were shifting after decades of adhering to the Queen's strict mourning protocols. Mourning practices were on the decline but mourning jewellery was still being mass produced and gifted to loved ones.  

This ring gives us insight into the mourning rituals and customs of the Western world during the 19th century to the early 20th century. It provides us with a tangible connection to the deceased and their theological beliefs. These pieces of jewellery were created with the intention that their loved one would be remembered. It is an amazing thought that these pieces have lasted the test of time and that these items and the memory of those which they commemorate endure.

Sources:

Britannica (2022), 'Charity Christian concept', Britannica; https://www.britannica.com/topic/charity-Christian-concept

Erica Weiner (2022), 'Diamond and pearl faith, hope and charity ring', Erica Weiner; https://ericaweiner.com/products/late-victorian-diamond-and-pearl-faith-hope-charity-ring

Navette Jewellery (2021), 'Symbolism in antique jewellery - faith, hope and charity (love)', Navette Jewellery; https://navettejewellery.org/2021/07/07/symbolism-in-antique-jewellery-faith-hope-and-charity-love/

Peters, Hayden (2022), 'Colonial Australian sentimental jewels', Art of Mourning; https://artofmourning.com/colonial-australian-sentimental-jewels/

Peters, Hayden (2022), 'Faith, hope and charity', Art of Mourning; https://artofmourning.com/faith-hope-and-charity/

Portrait miniatures are a rare connection to those that came before us. These small works of art are not only significant in the artistic ability required to create them but hold a historical significance in the documenting of people in a time predating photography. Miniature portraits were commissioned for a number of reasons; to commemorate loved ones, significant figures or to document occasions such as marriage. They could also be used as a means of identification and introduction, in instances such as diplomatic meetings or in the arrangement of marriages. The world of portrait miniatures puts us face-to-face with people of the past and gives us insight into the lives, fashion and customs during the times of which they were created. 

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The creation of portrait miniatures was a crossroads between the popularity of illuminated manuscripts and commemorative medals. “Arising from a fusion of the separate traditions of the illuminated manuscript and the medal, miniature painting flourished from the beginning of the 16th century down to the mid-19th century" (Kuiper, 2022). Illuminated manuscripts were highly prized from the Middle Ages through to the Renaissance. The connection to the art of portrait miniature can be observed through the use of the word miniature deprived from the Latin word 'miniare'.  

“The term miniature derives from the Latin word 'miniare' meaning 'to colour with red lead', and points to the origins of miniature painting in medieval illuminated manuscripts, which were illustrated using the pigment, also known as minium' (Wall, 2020).

Another connection can be drawn from the materials used in the early forms of portrait miniature. Vellum is a form of parchment used in illuminated manuscripts and was also used for early portrait miniature works. The portability and petite size of medals influenced the size of portrait miniatures and progressed them from small paintings to items that would adorn the body. Originally Portrait miniatures would be carried in specialized cases or boxes prior to their adaptation into items of jewellery. Portrait miniature art has a long history beginning in the 16th century and remaining popular through to the 18th century. The most notable production of portrait miniatures begun in the 1520's for the courts in France and England by artists Jean Clouet and Lucas Horenbout. “Portrait miniatures were employed by European monarchs as diplomatic gifts or to reward faithful courtiers but also in marriage negotiations" (Wall, 2020). Queen Elizabeth had portrait miniatures encased in precious metals and many members of elite society wore them to display loyalty to the queen. From there they were adopted as a fashionable way for people to commemorate their loved ones, or as tokens of love and friendship.

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As portrait miniatures increased in popularity and in turn demand, various adaptations were made in the materials used to create these pieces of art. Early miniaturists used watercolour and gouache on vellum, a form of parchment created out of calfskin, to create their artworks. Across Italy, the Netherlands and Germany oil painting on copper became a popular medium, which later lead to enamel on copper. During the 18th century miniaturists reverted back to the use of gouache and watercolour but on the preferred surface of ivory (Lang Antiques, 2022). The invention of photography with the development of the daguerreotype in 1839 saw the demand for portrait miniature painting decrease. As photography become widely accessible, in regards to affordability and also with technological advancements, the need for portrait miniature painting eventually faded into obscurity. 

 

Sources:

Kuiper, K (2022). "Miniature painting", Britannica; https://www.britannica.com/art/miniature-painting

Lang Antiques (2022). "Antique jewellery university: miniature"'; https://www.langantiques.com/university/miniature/

The Cleveland Museum of Art (2022). "European art 1775-1825: portrait miniatures"; https://www.clevelandart.org/sites/default/files/documents/gallery-card/Portrait%20Miniatures_complete_final_032113.pdf

Wall, R (2020). "Media in focus: portrait miniatures", Art Web; https://blog.artweb.com/how-to/portrait-miniatures/

As we celebrate the month of love it seems only appropriate to take a look into some of the most romantic jewels in our collection. Although the gifting of jewellery has been a symbol of love and affection since ancient times, it was in the Victorian era that sentimental jewellery surged in popularity. Jewellery of this time was all about expressing your deepest affections to those you loved the most. Packed with layers of meaning, secret messages of love and personal mementos jewellery of this era was deeply personal and achingly sentimental.  antique-regard-brooch-64-4

This trend of sentimentalism can be traced from the societal shifts in France following the French Revolution. The revolution challenged established monarchy and religious institutions within France and a new value system for its society emerged. The ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity became the basis of the value system for the French population. These shared ideals of a society based in freedom, equality and companionship saw an emphasis placed on personal relationships and affection between individuals. The development of these ideals saw a greater focus on sentimentality and this concept was soon being depicted across all creative pursuits including art, literature, music, architecture, fashion and jewellery. British fashion was heavily influenced by French culture and these values of sentimentality resonated with Queen Victoria. It was the British monarch's affinity for sentimental jewels that resulted in them becoming highly popularized across the Victorian era

A mixture of French and English sayings became widely popular across jewellery design and were exchanged as tokens of love between couples and friends. The French term 'souvenir' which translates to 'memory' became a popular sentiment displayed on jewellery pieces. Other popular sentiments of deep affection included; regard, love, dearest, mizpah and AEI, which stands for 'amity, eternity and infinity'.  These sentiments were available across a range of different jewels including rings, lockets, brooches, bracelets and pendants.

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One of the most creative ways that such sentiments were incorporated into jewellery design was through acrostic jewellery. Coloured gemstones would be ordered so that their first letters would spell out a word. “The Napoleonic taste for the symbolism of gemstones, and for names and mottoes spelt out with the initial letter of appropriate gemstones, quickly spread" (Bennett & Mascetti, 1989). The above brooch features a lock of hair in the centre with coloured gemstones set into the border. The first letters of each gemstone spell out the word 'Regard' - ruby, emerald, garnet, amethyst, ruby and diamond. The hidden sentiment accompanied by the personal relic of a lock of hair shows how deeply personal this piece of jewellery was to the wearer. Read more about acrostic jewellery here.

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Regard-brooch-ES8194-8
Shop Regard Brooch

Lockets were another highly popular keepsake to be exchanged between couples and family. Lockets during this time would be used to store mementos of their loved one, most commonly being a lock of hair or a photograph. 

“Women of the 19th century would swap locks of hair as a love token the way young girls today might wear friendship bracelets" (Little, 2016).

antique-enamel-locket-es6897-1It's not surprising then, that so many Victorian Era rings and pendants feature lockets on the reverse to house these personal relics. “Locks of hair were still concealed in small compartments at the back of jewels. Veiled and unveiled messages of love, rebuses and mottoes, were inscribed at the back of brooches and pendants or inside ring shanks" (Bennett & Mascett, 1989).

Floriography, also known as the language of flowers, was another popular past time of the Victorian era. The attributing of particular meanings and sentiments to flowers and their arrangements created a whole world of cryptic communications.

"The language of flowers was used as a secret code and the flowers that most often appeared in romantic jewels were those able to convey sentiments of love, friendship and affection, such as ivy leaves and forget-me-nots" (Bennett & Mascetti, 1989).

Shop All Lockets

This adaptation of floriography into jewellery design calls for close consideration of all design elements. What could appear as a floral motif for decorative purposes could have layered meanings of affection intended for the wearer.

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The change in societal values after the French Revolution saw the emergence of sentimentality throughout the Victorian era. The jewellery from the time reflects these cultural shifts and their influence on art and fashion within France and abroad. Love token jewellery from this era so strongly evokes the kinship between the gift-giver and recipient. The sentiments that rose in popularity are bold and deeply romantic. The exchange of personal relics in the form of hair, although no longer fashionable, creates a tangible connection to the wearers of these jewels and their connections to their loved ones. The creation of acrostic jewellery and the Victorian language of flowers causes us to read deeper into the design of these jewels and search for the hidden sentiments. These jewels are just a few examples of how meaning was incorporated into jewellery design during the Victorian era, though there are plenty more examples that have not been discussed here. These incredible pieces tell us the story of our human history and the connections of those who came before us.  

Shop Victorian Era Jewellery

Sources:

Bennett, D & Mascetti, D (1989)"Understanding Jewellery": ACC.

Little, B (2016) "Trendy Victorian Era Jewelry Made From Hair": National Geographic.

Peters, Hayden (2022) "Georgian Heart Regard Locket", The Art of Mourning.

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