About this Piece
| Length | 2” (excluding bail) |
| Width | 1 1/2” |
| Material | Silver plated |
| Weight | 27 grams |
| Mark | No mark |
| Era | Late Victorian |
Why You’ll Love it
This antique Victorian slide mirror pendant is a floral delight. As stunning as a painting, with impressive details like its design in distinct relief with refined craftsmanship, its effect is even more charming as it’s on both sides of the piece. With a mirror inside as well as a recess for a favorite photo, this French-made piece is made even more impressive by its large and puffy size with artistry crafted to stand out.
Condition and Quality
| ● | Bright patina with minor wear to the silver plating. No dents. The mirror and original frame are intact. |
| ● | Secure, original bail. |
| ● | Closes firmly with a latch at the bottom. |
Collector Note
On Functional Jewelry. During the Victorian era, functional jewelry emerged as a harmonious blend of utility and aesthetics, exemplified by pieces such as watch fob jewelry and chatelaines. These adornments not only served as elegant accessories but also catered to practical needs. Watch fob jewelry offered a stylish solution to secure pocket watches while adding sophistication to one's attire. On the other hand, chatelaines provided women with a convenient way to carry essential household items, such as keys, scissors, and sewing tools, attached to their clothing. The Victorian era's functional jewelry showcased the era's ingenuity, harmoniously integrating beauty and utility in every piece.
On Victorian. A young Queen Victoria assumed her role in 1837 and her taste in jewelry quickly became culturally influential, within England and beyond. Her relationship to jewelry was enmeshed with her husband, Prince Albert, who gifted the Queen for their engagement, a snake ring, embedded with an emerald (her birthstone) in its head. Continuing from the Georgian era and intensified by Queen Victoria’s taste, sentimental and figural jewelry was a major trend throughout the Victorian era. When certain ideas and words were deemed too forward or improper to be spoken, jewelry and symbolic meaning was used to communicate what was left unsaid.