Victorian Vulcanite Chain Bracelet with Stanhope Charm

$300.00

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Victorian Vulcanite Chain Bracelet with Stanhope Charm

$300.00

Description

DATE: Victorian, c.1870

Black jewellery was a big deal during the Victorian period, particularly after the death of Prince Albert in December 1861. Victoria never recovered, and she wore black for the entirety of her official mourning period - which lasted for the remaining 40 years of her life. Various black materials were employed in jewellery of the 19th century: onyx, jet, enamel, Berlin iron, bog oak, gutta percha, and this... vulcanite. It's a vulcanized rubber created by combining sulphur and India rubber (the sap of the Euphorbia or Ficus tree) then heating for several hours. The process is credited to Charles Goodyear, who patented it in 1844.

This bracelet is composed of charming sections of vulcanite, with the addition of a pig charm that included a Stanhope! They were invented by René Dagron in 1857 as a way of viewing microphotographs without the need of an expensive microscope, this one shows a series of images with "Memories of Cork", a city in the Republic of Ireland. It has a wearable length of 7 inches.

STONES

Vulcanite

MEASUREMENTS

7 inches wearable length

Width of chain: 1.5cm

Stanhope: 1.9 x 1.2cm

WEIGHT

10g

MARKS

No marks present

CONDITION

Very good, light wear commensurate with age