Victorian Whitby Jet Mourning Brooch HUGE

Lovely mid-Victorian era carved Whitby Jet Mourning Brooch with tiny clear paste stone. This is a LARGE brooch and 3 1/2" in length by 1 1/2" in width, with period correct tube hinge and "c" clasp closure, with pin back extending beyond the body of the brooch consistent with brooches of this period. Brooch is in good condition. Dates from 1860 - 1880.

During the reign of Queen Victoria protocol dictated that only Jet jewelry could be worn at court during periods of official mourning. This royal endorsement confirmed the status of Jet as the material of choice for mourning jewelry and fueled the expansion of the Jet industry in the late 1800's. Never was this more so than in the period following the death of Victoria's husband Prince Albert from typhoid fever in December 1861. Unlike most gemstones, Whitby Jet is actually fossilized wood, similar to our present day Monkey Puzzle or Araucaria Tree. which has been compressed over millions of years. The color of Whitby Jet is unique; its blackness is so intense that the expression ‘as black as jet' has been a commonly used phrase for hundreds of years. Jet has been found in many countries world-wide, including China, Siberia and the USA, to name but a few. It has also been found in other European countries including Germany and Spain. But the finest quality Jet has always come from England, around the north-east coast of Yorkshire, with Whitby being the center of the Victorian Jet industry. The town became a very popular seaside holiday destination for early Victorians for whom a souvenir piece of Jet was a must. In 1851, Whitby Jet was exhibited at the Great Exhibition, London and soon became coveted by a number of high profile royal persons including the Queen of Bavaria and the Empress of France. But Whitby Jet's most prolific patron was to become Queen Victoria. Sadly, the Victorians completely mined it all out, which makes pieces like this even more collectible. Seed pearls in Victorian jewelry often represented tears.

Take a look at my other original Victorian brooches! http://www.etsy.com/shop/victoriansentiments?section_id=7179660