Or are you looking for Search the Archives?

Please complete the form to email this item.

Mourning buckle

Mourning buckle

  • Place of origin:

    England (made)

  • Date:

    1698 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Gold, set with rock crystal; gold thread, hair

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Dame Joan Evans

  • Museum number:

    M.91-1975

  • Gallery location:

    Jewellery, Rooms 91 to 93 mezzanine, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery, case 81, shelf D1, box 8

Jewels commemorating the dead were widely worn during the 17th century. This mourning buckle contains panels of woven hair, decorated with an elaborate inscription in gold thread and a small enamelled skull, all set behind rock crystal. The inscription, partly in latin, tells us that the piece commemorates Elizabeth Harman who died on 11 April 1698, aged 27.

Physical description

Mourning buckle of gold, set with rock crystal over inscription, worked in gold thread on hair; the reverse engraved.

Place of Origin

England (made)

Date

1698 (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown

Materials and Techniques

Gold, set with rock crystal; gold thread, hair

Marks and inscriptions

'Eliz Harman / Obt 11 Ap / 98 Ata 27'
Around buckle

Dimensions

Height: 3.4 cm, Width: 5 cm, Depth: 0.7 cm

Descriptive line

Mourning buckle of gold, set with rock crystal over inscription, worked in gold thread on hair, made in England, dated 1698

Materials

Gold; Rock crystal; Hair

Techniques

Engraving (incising)

Categories

ELISE; Jewellery; Death; Metalwork; Accessories; Europeana Fashion Project

Collection

Metalwork Collection

Large image request

Please confirm you are using these images within the following terms and conditions, by acknowledging each of the following key points:

Please let us know how you intend to use the images you will be downloading.