Love and Death: Sentimental Jewelry in the Time of Jane Austen

The grand parures of precious gems worn by royalty and other aristocrats of the Georgian and Regency eras are what we see in paintings and in museums. But the ordinary people, who could never afford such pieces, favored a more sentimental type of jewelry, which was accessible and less expensive.

The sentiment of such jewelry fell into two categories: the sentiment of love and the sentiment of death. In this presentation, Candice will explore both types, including symbols and iconography of mourning and of romance, all of which would have been well understood by people of the time. The use of hair in both types of jewelry will also be discussed.

Find out about neoclassical mourning brooches in Candice’s Regency World →

Candice’s presentation will include lots of images of mourning jewelry and love tokens from museums, jewelry dealers, as well as many examples from her own collections, including mourning brooches, lover’s eyes, Georgian hearts, and lace pins.

Find out about Lover’s Eyes in Candice’s Regency World →

This presentation can be either in-person or virtual. For in-person events, Candice will bring examples of sentimental jewelry from her collections for attendees to view.

 

Contact Candice about bringing this presentation to your venue.