Honor Handed Down
elva
In the Victorian period, there were strict rules surrounding fashion and dress following the death of a loved one. Depending on one's relational proximity to the deceased, one had to wear a certain amount of black for a determined number of days--even down to accessories. When we stumbled upon this buckle at an antique market, we knew immediately a bit about its history, with its faceted black glass gems adorning a blackened wire frame. This antique buckle was very likely worn for just those reasons in the early 1900s, and we find such fascination with the idea of honoring a loved one in such a way.
Here, the buckle becomes a pendant, held on each side by a single strand of faceted black agate beads. The overall effect is certainly statement-making and still very much in reverence to its original purpose, a twist on the idea of "hand-me-down" style with sophistication and bold elegance. An adjustable gilt copper toggle clasp allows lengths ranging from 21 to 22" overall.
A note: The lower left corner of the buckle shows a missing glass "gem" which we are happy to replace at the buyer's request, but we kind of liked the imperfect-ness of the design, a tribute to its over-100-year-history and its origins paying homage to what is lost.
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