A Double Sided Mourning Locket

Details

American School, Early 19th Century**
A Double Sided Mourning Locket
one side inscribed A.A.W; the reverse inscribed S.E.W
watercolor, ink and hair on ivory
1¾ x 1 3/8 inches

Special notice

This lot is offered without reserve. Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.

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Lot Essay

While the identities of A.A.W and S.E.W are unknown, they may have been siblings. The use of chopped hair to depict the earth was a common practice among miniaturists, and gives the miniature a shrine-like effect. For more on this custom, see Robin Jaffee Frank, Love and Loss: American Portrait and Mourning Miniatures (New Haven, 2000), p. 138.

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