This oversized locket is carved from tortoiseshell and ringed by a coiled snake - a symbol of eternal love and protection. In 19th-century jewelry, the serpent often represented fidelity, rebirth, and the cyclical nature of life, making it a fitting motif for a keepsake meant to hold memory close.
MATERIALS: tortoiseshell, 14k gold findings, brass hinge, glass lens
AGE: c. 1870
CONDITION: Very good
SIZE: 3 1/2" total length including the bale, 1 3/4" at the widest point, 1 3/8" x 7/8" locket