with seed pearls and faceted jet or black onyx, braided hair under glass, tested and guaranteed 14K, circa 1840, 1 3/8" X 1 1/8", 10 grams......Hairwork, or jewelry or artwork made of human hair, has appeared throughout the history of craft work, particularly to be used for private worship or mourning. From the Middle Ages through the early twentieth century, memorial hair jewelry remained common. Hair, considered to be a remnant off the person it was cut from, also has often played a part in myths and legends; in a Swedish book of proverbs, one can read that “rings and bracelets of hair increase love” (Vadstena stads tankebok). One example can be found in Denmark, at Rosensborg’s palace, which is a bracelet of precious metal with a simple braided lock of hair - a gift from King Christian IV (1577-1648) to his queen. Another example would be the rings commemorating the execution of King Charles I of England (1600-1649), which circulated among his faithful supporters. Other famous people who owned hair jewelry include Napoleon, Admiral Nelson, Queen Victoria and her large family, Christina Nilsson and Jenny Lind. Although hairwork existed prior to the Victorian era, it was this period that saw it flourish as a trade and private craft in mourning jewelry such as lockets, rings, and bracelets; or mourning hair works for the home. These included frames of loved ones locks in braids, wreaths, or woven into floral patterns; or "mourning scenes," like gravestones or willow trees, depicted by hair placement. When not related to mourning, the practice was still performed in a commemorative or honoring fashion, with hairworks being produced to celebrate the hair-givers personal achievements, or to signify a bond between friends, family, and loved ones. It was a common skill taught to young women of the period, sometimes being mixed with needlework.The Victorian Period saw a rise in mourning practices due to its popularity through Queen Victoria, and wearing hair jewelry was seen as a form of carrying one's sentiments for the deceased. Unlike many other natural materials, human hair does not decay with the passing of time. Hair has chemical qualities that cause it to last for hundreds, possibly thousands, of years. Additionally, by the 19th century many hair artists and wig makers had too little employment after the powdered wigs, often worn by noblemen of the 17th and 18th centuries, went out of fashion. The period of sentimentality, characteristic of the Victorian era, offered these craftsmen a new opportunity to earn their income working with hair. Early hair jewelry was usually made for the higher classes in cooperation with goldsmiths, producing beautiful and expensive creations of hair mounted in gold and often decorated with pearls or precious stones. Pieces constructed with precious materials by artisans were naturally very expensive and it was not until the middle of the Victorian period, when instructional guides became available, that hair jewelry became popular with the lower classes. Workshops where these fashionable items were made existed across Europe. Buyers of human hair traveled the countryside and purchased hair from poor peasants, sometimes in exchange for scarves, ribbons or other small luxury objects. In addition to the needs for hair jewelry, there was still a need for great amounts of hair for braids and switches that women wanted to purchase for their coiffures. Most hair jewelry, however, was made from a person of special interest's hair, whether that was a famous figure or - most often - a family member or friend. In contrast to the expensive pieces of hair jewelry crafted by artisans, many women of the 19th century began crafting their own hairwork in their homes. In America, popular magazines of the period, like Godey's Lady's Book, printed patterns and offered starter kits with the necessary tools for sale. Books of the period, like Mark Campbell's Self-Instructor in the Art of Hair Work offered full volumes devoted to hairwork and other "fancywork," as predominantly female crafts were known at the time.

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