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Mourning buckle

Mourning buckle

  • Place of origin:

    England, Great Britain (made)

  • Date:

    1698 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    unknown (production)

  • 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, room 91 mezzanine, case 81, shelf D1, box 8

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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, Great Britain (made)

Date

1698 (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Gold, set with rock crystal; gold thread, hair

Marks and inscriptions

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

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; Hair; Rock crystal

Techniques

Engraving (incising)

Categories

Metalwork; Jewellery; Death; Accessories

Collection code

MET

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Qr_O33896
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