an exceptionally wearable, dynamic version of a victorian era mourning book chain. it would have originally been paired with a large mourning locket
each link was handmade and is its own little work of art, which also means that no two links are alike. book chains are known for being lightweight and hollow, which means they have a large presence without a lot of silver
800 silver with a higher copper content — if you have any skin sensitivities to copper then this is not the chain for you
M E A S U R E M E N T S
18.25" long when clasped — this is a nice, longer length for an antique necklace
chain is ~7.75mm wide
ball beads are ~3.7mm wide
weighs 25.4g
C O N D I T I O N
in good antique condition
this is an oldie, a goodie, and has all of the quirks and wear we'd want to see in a truly antique chain
-clasp works well and easily and is fully removable from the chain
-the ball bead details are hollow and some of them have more visible petal-like open seams than others — this is not damage, but original quirks of the construction
-several links have a recurring red oxidation, which corresponds to where neighboring rolo links are soldered together. it's hard to know if this is an original design quirk or from a later repair. the reddish oxidation forms a verdigris (green) patina if left untouched. the solder used throughout the links had a higher copper content, which means that it will oxidize in shades of green and brown
-uneven patina throughout the links
-a few of the round rolo links are bent out-of-round — most notably on the links closer to the clasp
this is an antique item and will show surface scratches, dents, dings, dulling, wear, patina, and signs of having been worn and loved
please carefully review all photos as they are considered an important part of the description of the item’s condition
S H O P A G R E E M E N T S
please read the 'shop policies' section to understand this shop's shipping & exchange policies
S K I N S E N S I T I V I T I E S
please read the ‘FAQs’ section before purchasing an item if you have a history of skin sensitivities to metals of any kind, and/or a history of skin reactions like dermatitis or eczema. Send us a message if you have additional questions.
