The Pocket Field Guide That Finally Shows You What to Look For—Not Just Tells You.
You are at an estate sale. You pick up a small black locket. Is it real jet or just glass? Victorian or a reproduction? Worth buying or best left on the table?
If you have ever stood there, unsure, and walked away—or worse, bought a piece only to discover later it wasn’t what you thought—you know the frustration. The books you have found are either too academic, with no pictures, or too basic, offering no real help when you need it most. You need a guide that works in the moment, not just on the shelf.
This is that guide. Written by a collector who made every mistake so you don’t have to, the Second Edition of Victorian Mourning Jewelry: The Pocket Reference Guide has been completely rebuilt from the ground up. It is not a textbook. It is a field tool designed to fit in your bag and give you clear, visual answers in seconds.
Inside you will discover:
• The Three-Second Test: A simple, tactile routine to identify jet, vulcanite, bog oak, and black glass the moment you hold a piece.
• The Clasp Timeline: How to date any brooch or locket within a decade just by looking at the clasp and pin.
• Hairwork ID: Clear visual guides to distinguish original Victorian hairwork from later restorations or modern fakes.
• Motif Spotter’s Guides: What the symbols really mean—urns, willows, clasped hands, and broken columns—so you can read the message in the metal.
• Men’s & Children’s Memorials: How to spot the discreet pieces others overlook, from watch fobs with hidden hair to tiny infant rings.
• The Red Flag Checklist: What to avoid—modern glue, perfect uniformity, and sellers who won’t let you look inside.
New in this edition—The Pocket Reference Checklists: Ten one-page summaries you can photocopy and take with you. The three-second test, material ID, motif meanings, and more, all condensed for instant field reference.
Whether you are a seasoned collector, a history enthusiast, or someone who simply found an old locket in a drawer and wants to know its story, this book gives you the confidence to know what you are looking at—and what to do next.
The objects have waited decades. Now you have the guide that was worth the wait.
