Antique mourning pins and brooches vary a lot in size. As I mentioned last post, there are tiny little Georgian pins, designed to secure triangular pieces of lace called a fichu or other lightweight material worn around a woman’s shoulders or neckline. These pins had to be very light so that they did not tear the delicate material.

Tiny Georgian gold cased hairwork pin

During the early stages of Victorian mourning, brooches were fairly simple and Victorians wore jet and other black jewellery but more colour was allowed in the later stages, like the lovely garnet and pearl pin below.

Garnet and seed pearl mourning pin

During the 19th century, female clothing began to change and during the day, women began to wear high necked dresses, sometimes with a white collar. They often wore brooches at the neckline but as the material of the dresses was heavier, they could wear bigger and more elaborate brooches.

19th century mourning brooch with hairwork and initials spelt out with tiny seed pearls

They often had ornate hairwork and tiny seed pearls spelling out initials.The brooch below, shaped like an artist’s palette has beautifully woven hair, bordered with seed pearls and a pink tourmaline.

Victorian seed pearl hairwork brooch