Mourning Buckle thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91 to 93 mezzanine, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Mourning Buckle

1698 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

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.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Gold, set with rock crystal; gold thread, hair
Brief description
Mourning buckle of gold, set with rock crystal over inscription, worked in gold thread on hair, made in England, dated 1698
Physical description
Mourning buckle of gold, set with rock crystal over inscription, worked in gold thread on hair; the reverse engraved.
Dimensions
  • Height: 3.4cm
  • Width: 5cm
  • Depth: 0.7cm
Marks and inscriptions
'Eliz Harman / Obt 11 Ap / 98 Ata 27' (Around buckle)
Credit line
Given by Dame Joan Evans
Association
Summary
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.
Collection
Accession number
M.91-1975

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Record createdMarch 15, 2000
Record URL
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