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The Antique & Vintage Locket Thread

I'll get started.
Here is a sweet 10k locket I found in a thrift store. I'm thinking it is 1960s, give or take.
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thrift stores finds make me happy for the buyer but sad for the origional owner
but better to be worn by someone who loves you than not appreated at all

I had been searching for a gold locket for a while. They were so expensive on eBay, I just couldn't bring myself to spend on one. Then, I walked into this thrift store, and there it was, for a fraction of the eBay price.
 
Here's another one.
I found this at a pawn shop. It's big, 3" long including bale. It came without the chain.
Marked Birmingham 1883
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My only locket, from the Goodwill auction site. I know nothing about it other than it is 14k and vintage (aren't almost all lockets "vintage" at this point?) and thank you @stracci2000 for starting this thread.

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So pretty! I love the organic detailing!
 
Enamel on 18K gold with tiny diamonds, hallmarked for 1868.

@Starstruck8 has helpfully informed me that this is a mourning locket, it would probably have held a picture of a widow's deceased husband, a lock of his hair, or some other keepsake. So slightly spooky!IMG_3291.jpegIMG_3293.jpegIMG_3294.jpeg

This is really beautiful!
1868, so exciting! What was happening in the world then? It's so interesting to wonder about the original owner.
 
Enamel on 18K gold with tiny diamonds, hallmarked for 1868.

@Starstruck8 has helpfully informed me that this is a mourning locket, it would probably have held a picture of a widow's deceased husband, a lock of his hair, or some other keepsake. So slightly spooky!IMG_3291.jpegIMG_3293.jpegIMG_3294.jpeg

spooky can be fun
i hope you wear this all day on Oct 31st !
 
Victorian Celestial and Fern locket, 18k with pearls from late 1800s. As a Horticulturalist who loves tropical ferns! I had to have this! The Victorians were crazy about ferns - I wonder about the lady who owned this! Maybe she kept fern spores in it? The engraving is top quality!
 

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Victorian Celestial and Fern locket, 18k with pearls from late 1800s. As a Horticulturalist who loves tropical ferns! I had to have this! The Victorians were crazy about ferns - I wonder about the lady who owned this! Maybe she kept fern spores in it? The engraving is top quality!

wow !
that is magnificant !
 
Victorian Celestial and Fern locket, 18k with pearls from late 1800s. As a Horticulturalist who loves tropical ferns! I had to have this! The Victorians were crazy about ferns - I wonder about the lady who owned this! Maybe she kept fern spores in it? The engraving is top quality!

Wow! It's really fabulous!
 
Thanks Daisy! It is also massive so I feel a bit self conscious wearing it!

How big is yours? I’m looking at a couple of lockets, but hadn’t thought that from a certain size onwards, big might be too big…
 
I have three that I would consider lockets.

The first is tiny, 14k with turquoise and moonstone. The back has a tiny hinge, but I've never tried to open it. Erica Weiner thought this was 1830s-ish.
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Next is a 10k & Platinum starburst. The gold is rosy, and I love the contrast of the star. It came with a baby photo and locket of hair and I didn't have the heart to remove them.
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Finally, a tiny 15k engraved heart with a little glass panel back. Also with a little woven hair memento inside. Seller dated this to England, 1860-ish, but I'm not sure how that date was determined, as I can't find any markings. Whatever the case, it has been well loved over the years.
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Next is a 10k & Platinum starburst. The gold is rosy, and I love the contrast of the star. It came with a baby photo and locket of hair and I didn't have the heart to remove them.
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That's so moving. I can hardly bear to look at it.

Mahler's Kindertotenlieder, sung by Fischer-Dieskau:
 
Okay, well, I hope I don't have myself going down a rabbit hole, but I saw this one and the black enamel and gold just got me to jump. I don't have it yet. It's small. And now I hope I'm done.

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Okay, well, I hope I don't have myself going down a rabbit hole, but I saw this one and the black enamel and gold just got me to jump. I don't have it yet. It's small. And now I hope I'm done.

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The colour of the gold looks so rich! And such a lovely contrast to the black enamel! It’s really pretty!
 
The colour of the gold looks so rich! And such a lovely contrast to the black enamel! It’s really pretty!

Thanks. That is what attracted me as well. I'll see if it matches the photo when it arrives. I hope I'm not disappointed.
 
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How big is yours? I’m looking at a couple of lockets, but hadn’t thought that from a certain size onwards, big might be too big…

Here is a pic of it on! It's big! 2 inches?
 
Okay, well, I hope I don't have myself going down a rabbit hole, but I saw this one and the black enamel and gold just got me to jump. I don't have it yet. It's small. And now I hope I'm done.

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I can definitely see why you jumped
 
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