Antique Victorian Precious Keepsake Book Locket
Circa 1875
An exquisite Victorian keepsake, fashioned in the romantic form of an opening book, its covers richly engraved with scrolling designs and delicate blooms. The front is adorned with forget-me-not flowers nestled within an elegant frame, while the reverse displays a wreath of forget-me-nots encircling an unengraved shield cartouche—waiting, perhaps, for the owner’s cipher or initials.
Inside, chased acanthus scrolls frame a beautifully bevelled oval window—perfect for your jeweller to add a treasured photograph or a tiny memento of a loved one. Every piece of masterful engraving and handmade hinge is the work of a skilled artisan from the heart of the Victorian era—a time of Dickens and the Brontës, of sentiment and storytelling with gold.
Measuring 2.4cm by 1.5cm, this enchanting book-form locket is unmarked but tests as 9 carat gold front and back and has an XRF reading indicating an average of 8.51 carat when a scan through the open front is measured. This composition suggests a discreet base-metal internal framework to strengthen the internal structure, preserving both durability and integrity through nearly a century and a half of history.
A darling token of devotion and memory—a tangible whisper of the past, waiting to carry its next story.
Antique Victorian Precious Keepsake Book Locket with 9 Carat Gold Front & Back
Condition and Character: As part of the circular economy, this antique item has been pre-treasured and loved for over 100 years. As is typical for an item of this age, there are a few fine scratches on the gold, and an attractive patina that speaks to its history. These characteristics are commensurate with the age of this exquisitely sentimental antique item and do not detract from its overall beauty and charm. Instead, they add to its unique character and authenticity as a genuine piece of history.
This pendant is offered without a chain, allowing the new owner the freedom to pair it with a chain of their choosing. By using an existing chain from your collection or measuring and obtaining exactly the correct length of chain if a chain is required, we hope this eco-friendly choice conserves mineral resources.
