Decorative objects

In the nineteenth century, mourning objects took many forms. However, the most common form was jewellery, often set with a lock of human hair. For example, this can be seen in Queen Victoria’s Locket , which opens to reveal hair on one side and a photograph of Prince Albert (1819-61) on the other. Onyx, jet and black enamel were frequently used as materials in mourning jewellery. Queen Victoria gave gifts of jewellery to her grandchildren, which included Prince Albert’s portrait or suitable inscriptions in order for them to remember their grandfather. The death of public figures also often generated the commercial production of affordable memorial objects, such as tape measures and other accessories.