Antique funerary brooch with photo portrait, openwork frame, 19th-century style

AFW - Antique France Worldwide

Description

Antique memorial brooch featuring a black and white photographic portrait of a young person, inserted under glass in a smooth-finished circular frame. The visible mounting is intricately crafted in relief, with a baroque shape and an openwork design of scrolls and foliage motifs, typical of late 19th-century funerary style. The brooch consists of a dark-toned surround, contrasted by a circular border with a gold or brass finish, highlighting the central image.

The slightly sepia photographic portrait shows the face of a child or adolescent, dressed in period clothing with a high collar. The image is protected by a domed glass, set within the ornamented structure. No markings or inscriptions are visible on the front face.

The mounting features chiseling and cutwork, with asymmetrical motifs and a dark patina. The overall appearance evokes the Victorian sentimental style, commonly used for mourning jewelry and personal memorial keepsakes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The object is designed to be worn as a brooch, as suggested by its compact shape and the presence of the rear frame not visible here. The general appearance shows slight surface wear, consistent with the presumed age of the piece, with no major apparent chips on the visible side.

This type of jewelry, also known as a "mourning brooch," was traditionally used to preserve the memory of a deceased person, often with a photograph or a lock of hair inserted under glass.

Condition

Used antique item, sold as is. Visible wear on the mounting and slight alteration of the photographic portrait, with no major apparent damage on the visible side.

Did you know? Photographic portrait mourning brooches appeared in the 19th century, thanks to the development of photography. They were frequently worn during periods of mourning, as a testament to family memory, particularly in the Victorian era when the cult of remembrance was especially pronounced.

AFW Reassurance

Careful packaging and fast shipping by a professional seller specializing in antique objects and historical jewelry.

Keywords: mourning brooch, memorial jewelry, antique portrait, funerary frame, mourning brooch, souvenir photo, 19th-century sentimental jewelry, funerary brooch, Victorian jewelry, antique jewelry, ornate brooch, antique mourning jewelry