Some time ago, I bought out a jeweler's shop inventory - pieces that were never mounted like micro mosaic plaques, cameos, these worked hair art inserts, all awaiting custom orders to be fabricated in gold mounts. Among those many pieces were a couple which had been finished, even engraved, but which remained with the English jeweler. This is one of the finished ones, an extra large and heavy mounted hair art piece set in a plain but substantial 14k gold brooch mount with safety chain. The engraving on back side, mourning 2 children from a family "Kirby", "Emma Hind Kirby, Died 16 Dec. 1847 at 13 yrs", and across the bottom rim, "Alfred Amos Kirby, died 9 July 1849, age 9 yrs 9 months". Remaining as it did with the jeweler, one has to wonder why. Either the goldsmith was Mr Kirby, or the parents couldn't pay for it, once completed.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type, it shows now cracks, breaks, dents, and while it needs a good polish, my math tells me the parts that are hair art on opaline glass, worked in a brass basin and topped with a polished cover glass would weigh 12 grams (I weighed one that isn't mounted, in almost identical size), that leaves 15.9 grams of 14k gold on this piece which weighs 27.9 grams in total. At gold price today, 1.12.2026, that would be $1380 just for the gold melt value. Please do not buy this mourning memento to melt it. The blond hair worked within is delicate and beautifully done, has 3 seed pearls, iconography with meaning of tears of the mourner. Sweetest treasure! Early Victorian jewelry, mourning memento.
