Antique Hand Painted Brooch in Gold Fill snake brooch while her flowing hair drapes

while her flowing hair drapes artistically around her face

and a golden bead hanging from the center

but far more are valued by their ability to be polished and turned into jewelry

When in the mid-19th century reverse intaglio crystals began to appear on the market in Britain

our brooch is a darling

Antique Hand Painted Brooch in Gold Fill snake brooch while her flowing hair drapesMourning jewelry became popular during the 18th century, when sentiment, both sorrowful and romantic, began to be expressed in a more allegorical style. In some pieces, the hair of the deceased was crushed into a powder and mixed with stabilizers in order to create a pigment with which to make a miniature painting for jewelry. In some cases, watercolors were used alongside hair clippings to create the images under glass on these pieces. Verre glomis