Victorian Hair Work 'Mother' Brooch

Today we think of Victorians as austere and rigid. But Victorians exhibited a surprisingly sentimental nature, and the jewelry women of the Victorian age wore was not only a decorative accessory, but also an outward expression of their emotions. As macabre as we might find it today, it wasn't unusual to have jewelry made from something that belonged to a loved one - Queen Victoria had a bracelet made from her children's baby teeth - and this propensity fostered an interest in hair work jewelry. Hair work became a popular drawing room pastime, like crocheting or needlework. This brooch is a beautiful example of Victorian hair work jewelry, tightly woven in a basket weave pattern on the back, and a delicate design with the word 'Mother' inscribed (in hair?) on mother of pearl on the front of the brooch. Set under glass in a metal frame, it measures approximately 1 5/8" long by 1 3/8". Circa mid 1850s, it exhibits its original patina and is in excellent condition. $245