Sentimental jewelry has been exchanged for hundreds of years for different occasions; between lovers, from parents to children, as mementos, or to show affiliation or loyalty to a group. Lockets evolved from medieval pendants and became a place to store perfume or herbs for medicinal use. Eventually lockets became a gift of sentiment exchanged upon important dates or as mementos of loved ones dead or living, with painted miniatures being placed inside of the locket. For many years lockets were primarily for the rich, but as photography became popular in the mid-19th century, lockets became more widely spread among all social classes.
This style of locket, shaped like a book may have contained either an image of a loved one, or perhaps a message. Some book lockets were created to house multiple images.
- DETAILS -
9k engraved gold
Locket measures 1.5 x 2 cm