Accession Number

983.313.004

Alternate Name

jewelry jewellry

Description

One gold mourning locket. The back side is gold trimmed and has a lattice-pattern design in black enamel. Inside each lattice space is an engraving in the form of a buzzstar. On the front is a black enamel cartouche in the form of a mouring wreath with 8 gold stars in the black enamel. The locket is hinged one side, and on the other side is the clasp that holds the sides together. A gold link slides through another permanently mounted gold link to secure the sides. Inside the locket is a black and white photograph of an as yet unidentified man wearing a black jacket and white shirt with a black tie.

Narrative

This locket's long-term use by the Dunsmuir family makes it an important object in Craigdarroch's collection. It is hoped that one day, the identity of the man in the photograph will be identified.

This watch was collected to aid in the understanding and presentation of the Dunsmuir family.

History of Use

This locket was among a number of pieces of jewelry given to Craigdarroch Castle Historical Museum Society by the three daughters of Joan Olive Bryden and Alastair Douglas Macdonald in the late 1960s or early 1970s. The sisters told Castle Society founder James K. Nesbitt that the pieces, including this locket, were owned by their grandmother, Elizabeth Hamilton Dunsmuir (1848-1901), also known as Mrs. John Cowper Bryden.

Date

circa 1880

Dimensions

4 x 2.2 cm

Material

Metal, gold; Enamel

Technique

Enamelled; Engraved