Necklace

This necklace is a particular marvel, not just for its beauty, but also for its white hair. The use of white hair for jewelry was rare, with brown and blonde hair being the most widely used. However, the white hair of a deceased elder was treasured. One touching short story published in the Massachusetts Ploughman in 1878 tells of Beth, a young actress who cares for her ailing grandfather. She is courted by a young man who, upon her grandfather’s death, takes his own hair and the deceased’s hair to create a locket for her. While the romance itself fades, the locket remains more valuable than a necklace of fine gems.