Victorian Vulcanite Bangle, England c. 1880

Parental Love

Victorian Vulcanite Bangle, England c. 1880

€ 219.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

Black jewellery accompanied the Victorian age through many changes. At the beginning of the century, personalized commemorative jewelry was used to preserve the memory of a particular person. Later, this custom changed. Social etiquette now demanded jewellery that simply matched the mourning attire, often without any personal reference to the deceased person, simply as a visible sign of mourning. Towards the end of the century, dark jewellery finally detached itself from this serious background and became a fashionable accessory that asserted its own elegance. Different materials were used for mourning jewelry. Jet, a particularly hard stone that was easy to carve, onyx and black glass, which was sometimes given the poetic-sounding name French jet, were popular. This bracelet, however, is made of vulcanite, a hard rubber obtained from the sap of the tropical rubber tree (see: "Learn more"). This material, a novelty at the time, was more resistant and cheaper than jet and therefore particularly successful. The wide, flexibly bendable hoop has an appliquéd relief on the top. A small bird, a reed warbler, sits in its nest in a lush thicket of reeds and bulrushes. Its partner sits protectively above it and seems to be singing to the heavens. It is a tender scene full of caring. Perhaps this bracelet was once intended as a reminder of one's own parents, whose care one did not want to forget. The piece was probably made in England and can be dated to around 1880. It is beautifully preserved and came to us from Hanover.

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Vulcanite - also known as ebonite - is a hard, dense material produced by the strong vulcanization of natural rubber. Unlike normal rubber, the material is not elastic, but solid, dimensionally stable and resistant. Vulcanite is characterized by its deep black colour, good electrical insulation properties and high resistance to chemical influences. This is why it has been used in many different ways since the 19th century - for fountain pens, pipe mouthpieces, handles, jewellery, musical instrument parts and electrical components, for example. Despite its hardness, vulcanite is easy to turn, grind and polish, but is sensitive to prolonged exposure to UV light, which can lead to a brownish discoloration.

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Size & Details

Parental Love

€ 219.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

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Parental Love

Bracelets & Bangles

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