Antique Victorian Sterling Silver Locket, tri-colour gold inlay, floral and foliate motif. Locket contains a photograph of a young girl, and a lock of hair. Length including bale 6.5cm. Width 3.8cm. Birmingham hallmarks for 1882, Maker’s Mark rubbed.

The locket has been called the 'epitome' of Victorian jewellery types. Suspended from chain or ribbon, a locket was a frequent choice for a gift. Indeed, it was Queen Victoria's preferred commemorative gift as it could contain hair, photographs and portrait miniatures. These tokens were generally private, concealed from view and shown only to intimates. Garrard's, Jeweller to the Queen, noted that they were given in gratitude, to acknowledge exceptional services, but also as mourning gifts. Interestingly they were also very popular as bridesmaids’ gifts, the tradition beginning with the Royal family. The Illustrated London News in 1868 wrote "It is the fashion this year for Ladies to wear lockets on black velvet ribbon round their necks, the more lockets you can collect and wear the finer you are. Each locket represents an event such as a birthday or anniversary, a bet - any excuse serves as a pretext for giving a locket'"

Condition: Very good vintage condition, age appropriate scuffmarks. Closing firmly.