"Georgian" era, or in his case, being French, Louis XV to perhaps XVI era. Handsome young man with blond hair and blue eyes, beautifully crafted by an unsigned artist. I did not open this one. It feels slightly stuck with age, and I never like to pry them open, fearing I'll break a cover glass in doing so. So perhaps he is signed on the outer perimeter, which we do find in this time period in particular. It seems likely to me that the backside is original, perhaps a patch of cloth from his coat which has been embroidered in gold metallic thread into a monogram, L M or M L. The memento of the fabric seems to mean something, and perhaps is a mourning icon placed with the portrait. Ordinarily, we find a plaiting of hair in the backside of these 2-sided locket frames, sometimes overlain with gold monograms. There is some chance this young man was lost too young, and thus remembered. The excellent condition certainly indicates his portrait was cherished these 250 or so years.
Very good to excellent condition, I can see tiny punch marks along the side but I can't capture them with my lens. The frame is a jeweler's mount crafted in French Sterling or perhaps .800 silver. It is a locket with the halves sliding into itself as you can see from my photos. I did not take it apart. I would have had to pry with a knife blade, taking a chance of cracking a cover glass. Portrait side has its original convex cover glass in place and without damage but the back side with monogram inset is a flat glass. A beautiful treasure, this. The diameter is not on my photos, but is 2 1/8" diameter.
