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Locket

1706
Not on view
The earliest jewelry made and owned in America was of a sentimental nature, related either to courtship and marriage or to death and mourning. In this heart-shaped locket, a faceted crystal was secured to the gold back by a crimped, scalloped edge. Beneath the glass, a tightly woven plait of light brown hair, a common addition to mourning jewelry, was laid onto a silk background. An engraved skull appears on the reverse, along with the death date of the deceased, whose identity remains unknown.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Locket
  • Date: 1706
  • Geography: Made in Boston, Massachusetts, United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Gold, hair, and crystal
  • Dimensions: 9/16 x 13/16 in. (1.4 x 2.1 cm)
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Susan and Jon Rotenstreich Gift, 2000
  • Object Number: 2000.532
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

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