Victoria’s wedding portrait ( shown above wearing her ‘something blue’ gift from Albert, the sapphire brooch at right) was reproduced in newspapers around the globe and her likeness was made into prints and fabrics used to decorate homes, so she quickly became a fashion icon. Thus her sphere of influence covered the entire globe- and her presence was amplified by the advent of mass media, making Victoria one of the first ever celebrities. But when Victoria ascended to the throne in 1837, she became the Queen of Great Britain, Empress of India, as well as the Queen of the Commonwealth Realms such as South Africa, Australia, and Canada. People today can be understandably confused by the fact that an entire era of history and design would be named after the long-gone monarch of a small nation. Thus the people of Great Britain were ready for a new, more optimistic era. Her ascent to the throne came after years of the “George Kings” whose reigns had been blackened by years of war (the war of American Independence and the decades of war with Napoleon, just to name two) and public scandals. The Victorian Era is the name given to the period in which Queen Victoria sat on the throne of Great Britain, roughly 1837 to 1901 ( the above painting is her official coronation portrait from 1837). If you were to search for photos of “Victorian jewelry” on Google, you would doubtlessly see pieces made anywhere between 17! So if you are interested in learning more about the Victorian Era and what makes a piece truly Victorian: keep reading. Thus it is with a blend of resignation and frustration that I often see jewelers and antique dealers misidentify or inaccurately attribute a piece, and it seems that the most frequently overused but misunderstood period was the Victorian Era. One must use a combination of clues like the design of the piece, manufacturing techniques used, materials and gems present, as well as intended use of the item to establish an approximate age. After Victoria became Queen her choices of jewelry influenced the industry as they do today with younger princesses influencing their followers to copy their clothing lines and styles.Īttributing antique jewelry to the particular era in which it was made can be quite difficult. Victorian Jewelry Boxes were quite popular during this period and are a much sought after Victorian Antique Jewelry item. The History of Victorian Jewelry can be as far ranging as you care to make it, and by Victorian, we mean jewelry that was worn during the reign of Queen Victoria of Great Britain (1837-1901).
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