Brooch

Object Type
This mourning brooch is typical of many made in the 19th century, when mourning was closely observed. The inscription 'IN MEMORY OF' surrounds a lock of hair from the person being remembered, while his name, age and date of death are engraved on the back.

Materials & Making
The brooch was manufactured with the standard memorial phrase on the front and an empty glazed central compartment. It would probably have been kept in stock either by a retailer or central supplier. The brooch would have been personalised when it was bought.

Design & Designing
The design of gold scrolls around the edge of the brooch is in the Rococo Revival style. Rococo decoration, featuring scrolls, rockwork and shells, often in asymmetrical designs, spread from France in the 1720s. It was one of the most influential styles in Europe until the 1760s but was revived in the 1820s in England. It rapidly became popular and can still be seen in some manufactured goods and interior designs produced today.