My inner Goth loves all the trappings associated with Victorian mourning. It’s the perfect combination of beautiful and macabre. The pieces contain so much romance and history. There’s infinite potential for daydreaming about a young widow, wilting in tragic despair over the death of the man she loves. Or perhaps an abused wife, secretly happy at the demise of her tormentor, but now trapped in widow’s clothes while all she wants to do is wear green and shocking red and rejoice in her new-found freedom. So many stories to wonder about and to invent.
Not to mention that perfect, squeamishly delicious frisson of sacrilege when donned nowadays. It’s so funny to divorce these pieces from all their significance and just look at them as beautiful objects. Which of course they are. Erie Basin has a beautiful selection right now, which I go to look at when I want to daydream and forget I’m poor. The 1780 Georgian Sepia Mourning Ring above would be wending its way to me right now if it didn’t cost more than a month’s rent. Sigh.
A girl can dream, though. And these creepily beautiful pieces are great fodder for dreams and general inspiration.
1880s Carved Whitby Jet Mourning Earrings.
1880s Black Cameo Ring. (Ok, this may not be a piece of mourning jewelry, but it does fit the theme nicely. And it is rather beautiful, isn’t it?)
Musie 