PRE-GEORGIAN 1690S MEMENTO MORI ENAMELED SKELETON AND FACETED STUART CRYSTAL MOURNING SLIDE

An extremely fine example of a faceted Stuart Crystal memento mori slide with an enameled skeleton holding a staff in one hand and a tempus fugit (hourglass symbolizing "time flees") in the other.

The skeleton rests upon a bed of brunette hair and is flanked by two high karat gold cipher wire initials.

The sawtooth bezel slide case is 22 karat gold.

VICTORIAN PINCHBECK SEED PEARL HEART AND HAIR MOURNING BROOCH 1860s

Newly listed to Metal Corset II is this stunning Victorian era seed pearl heart and hair memorial Pinchbeck locket brooch.

Check it out!

DESIRE-HAND SERIES NO. 3

I've collected several antique jewelry components over the years that have either been orphaned, such as components to a larger jewelry piece, or broken bits of treasure, such as a locket front. 

These items continue to convey beauty in their own way and just like any orphan, they desire to find a new home and family.

A few of these saved items were used to create this beautiful bracelet and have now found a new home.

The antique jewelry components are as follows:

1. Victorian ship's wheel compass in working order
2. Victorian carved gutta percha castle pendant (probably once from a gutta percha bracelet)
3. Art Nouveau gold filled locket of a beautiful woman with flowing hair and paste stones (front only)
4. Art Deco Habille carved shell cameo locket with diamond necklace
5. Victorian brass hand from an antique chatelaine chain

DAGUERREOTYPE ASSEMBLAGE NECKLACE-HAND SERIES NO. 2

Newly listed to Metal Corset is this Victorian daguerreotype assemblage necklace. 

I've combined it with an Victorian gutta percha hand and rose brooch and an Victorian carved bone or ivory love birds brooch and suspended it from a four stranded necklace which includes an assemblage of:

baroque pearls, antique French faceted steel cut beads from an Art Deco purse, silver and gold faceted pyrite, black spinel beads, antique mother of pearls, antique carved ivory rose beads, antique blue Czech glass beads, bone ring, t-bar from a watch chain, antique rhinestone ball, Victorian 14k gold corrugated beads and a length of gold plated Victorian book chain.

GEORGIAN GOLD ENGRAVED MEMORIAL MOURNING BROOCH WITH FLAMING HEARTS HAIR SEPIA MINIATURE

Newly listed to Metal Corset II is this rare Georgian (1790-1820) flaming hearts hair memorial mourning brooch. 

Beneath the glazed compartment is a beautiful sepia painting which was painstakingly hand created using macerated hair.

Several loving symbolic icons are represented in this memorial piece as follows: 

Cypress Tree:  Symbolic for hope as the trees point towards the heavens
Dog:  Symbolizes Fidelity (rare)
Column or plinth:
     Unbroken-Symbolic for Strength of Life and Eternity
     Broken-Symbolic for Life cut short
Flaming Hearts:  Symbolic forTogetherness and Love
Crown/Wreath:  Symbolic for Redemption

And a monogram/cypher made of hair, "CM" or "MC" which could stand for Charles and Mary, or Christine and Michael, etc.

So, my interpretation of this brooch memorializes two individuals in love, probably a husband and wife, that will continue to love one another for an eternity in fidelity that now reside in heaven and live in the glory of redemption. 

(thank you to www.artofmourning.com for symbolism)

BABY DEAR

Where did you come from, baby dear?
Out of the everywhere into the here.
Where did you get those eyes so blue?
Out of the sky as I came through.
What makes the light in them sparkle and spin?
Some of the starry spikes left in.
Where did you get that little tear?
I found it waiting when I got here.
What makes your forehead so smooth and high?
A soft hand strok’d it as I went by.
What makes your cheek like a warm white rose?
I saw something better than any one knows.
Whence that three-corner’d smile of bliss?
Three angels gave me at once a kiss.
Where did you get this pearly ear?
God spoke, and it came out to hear.
Where did you get those arms and hands?
Love made itself into bonds and bands.
Feet, whence did you come, you darling things?
From the same box as the cherubs’ wings.
How did they all just come to be you?
God thought about me, and so I grew.
But how did you come to us, you dear?
God thought about you, and so I am here.	George Macdonald 1895

GEORGIAN MEMENTO MORI SEPIA ON IVORY SKULL AND CROSSBONES RING

This is an antique Georgian high carat gold content memento mori ring with a watercolor sepia of a skull and crossbones on ivory under a glazed compartment. 

There are willow branches in the background which symbolize mourning. 

The rear is inscribed to a married couple with the same initials, "S T," who died two months apart in 1802.  It is absolutely stunning.