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Lockets: Victorian at Heart |
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Written by Dara Spiotto
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Monday, 21 January 2008 |
 At a small local restaurant an older woman was struggling to get in the door. She had a collection of packages and was trying to manage the handle without dropping anything. My friend and I were sitting in the lobby, waiting for our table to be ready. Feeling chivalrous, I jumped up to open it for her while she juggled everything inside and dropped her parcels on the seat beside us. She was waiting to meet friends and was the first to arrive. We chatted while we waited.
I kept thinking about an article I wrote not too long ago, called Bead Groping. I spoke of people who oggle your beading, and even man-handle it without your consent. I was having such a moment. Only I wanted to do the groping. This lovely lady had a fantastic locket hanging on a woven chain around her neck, long and sleek. It was extremely old. She noticed me glancing at it and held it up for me to see it.
 A Work of Art from the Past
Oh, what beauty. It wasn’t old. It was ancient. It was an artifact. Shaped like a long slender rectangle with rounded edges, it had a small girl’s image on the front. It must have been an inch and a half long. The metal was probably once a gold tone at one time, but the patina on it formed the most delicious indescribable shade. The girl was standing in a swirl of vines and flowers.
Inside I expected photos. Instead there was a lock of hair against a beautiful old piece of fabric on one side, and on the other another piece of different fabric, both behind glass. The hair was a blond curl and had the tiniest string around it in blue. To my astonishment, the owner of the locket grasped the second piece of fabric, and like the page of a book, turned it to reveal a picture of a pretty, young girl of about 14 hiding underneath. She had blond hair and was wearing clothing in the style of Victorian times. “My Great Grandmother,” said the woman.
 I couldn’t speak. To be in front of such a piece of history was more than I could take at the moment. I stared at the woman, who’s name I didn’t even know and felt so choked up. I was misty. She was smiling. “Winnifred Mercy Jefferson.” she said. “They called her Winnie.” I looked at the locket, still not able to speak to her. Then I started laughing and wiping my wet eyes. She laughed, too, and kept smiling. I apologized to her for my emotional moment, and she said, “Winnie had that kind of effect on people.”
I loved listening to her stories of her Great Grandmother. When our tables were called, I was so sad to have to part company with her. I introduced myself and my friend, and asked what her name was. “Madeline Winnifred Jefferson Barnes,” she said. I told her it was a pleasure to meet her. That lady rocked my world that day.
 A Good Thing Sticks Around...
With my curiosity peaked, I came home and went right to the internet. God Bless Google. Did you know that lockets have been around for centuries? Small and difficult to make, they were hand crafted over long periods of time with unusual mechanism to close them.
People of the Victorian era, being family-minded, loved lockets so much they became common in heart, round and oval shapes and were worn by men and women alike. They were worn over or under clothing. Sometimes they were set with brightly colored gem stones or small seed pearls. Monograms of the wearer were popular, and were personal heirlooms. Soldiers wore lockets with pictures of their loved ones inside, kept close to the heart, even during battle.
Later, in the 1890’s, the Vinaigrette locket became the rage of ladies of the day. A cotton ball with the fragrance of the lady’s perfume would be kept inside the locket, and it was a lovely way to wear a scent, or a lovely reminder of her if the locket was given away to someone else.
 A Testament to the Time
I must make one. A small picture of my son will go on one side, and I’m not sure what I’ll put in there with it. I’ll have to think about it. I did a scan on the Beadin’ Path web site and was happily surprised to find a selection. I’m going to get myself a few and then give them as gifts, with pictures or things inside them. Such a personal gift, don’t you think? And I’m going to make sure I make it well so that my great, great granddaughter will be able to wear it if she wants to. :-)
http://gold-locket.net/locket_history.html
http://www.adin.be/en/2ndpage.asp?dtn=99236-0300
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