Rare Victorian 9ct Gold Engraved Locket, c.1870- Door Motif
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SOLD!
This is a rare Victorian 9ct Gold engraved locket, dating back to 1870! She boasts an incredible door motif and beautifully intricate engravings that cover the entire back of the locket. The outer door opens which allows you to place a precious photograph inside, keeping it close to your heart.
A super rare find featuring the British patent mark, sometimes referred to as the "lozenge mark" or the "registry mark", this antique Gold locket is certainly something special!
Item Details:
ERA: Victorian c.1870.
MEASUREMENTS: Locket is 29.5mm long x 26mm wide x 8mm deep.
Bale is 10mm long x 5mm wide.
Weight: 7.3g.
MATERIALS: 9ct Gold. Tests as solid 9ct Gold with metal frames and hinge for strength.
HALLMARKS: The locket features the rare British patent mark, sometimes referred to as the "lozenge mark" or the "registry mark". The lozenge features "RD" at its' centre, "1'" on the left, "A" on the right", "R" at the bottom, and "14" at the top, with "1" just above the 14. There are two different versions of the lozenge mark which makes things tricky, but we believe the"R" refers to the month, and "A" the year, so we hesitantly date this as 1871, which seems to be in-keeping with the style and construction methods used.
Condition:
VERY GOOD: This rare Victorian 9ct Gold engraved locket in in very good condition! She has an interesting construction! Although slightly stiff, outer door opens and window pops out nicely, the inner frame can be removed and a photograph put in place inside. Be sure to replace the glass carefully by slotting the bottom of the hinged section in first, and then closing in an upwards motion. The locket close shut tightly, crisp engravings and a rare and unusual shape. We love the "door" opening. If held up to the light you can see that some of the engravings on the door panel are quite deep, and so the Gold here is a little thin. This is a common flaw with lockets of this age and if treated with care should not pose any problems at all! Overall she is a fabulous rare find!
