Product Description

Decorative art created to memorialize and commemorate death has been a part of Western culture for centuries. Extraordinarily beautiful examples of mourning art and memorial jewelry for members of royalty and the aristocracy date back to the 16th century in England and Europe. Medieval references to commemorative art predate even the extant pieces now in museums. During the Georgian and Victorian eras, outstanding pieces of mourning jewelry and artwork were found in a majority of homes in America, Britain, and Europe. Without being morbid or macabre, this book provides a fascinating text about mourning practices and historical influences that shaped individual and cultural perspectives surrounding death in the 18th and 19th centuries. During these centuries, memorial art reached its zenith in artistic beauty and some of the finest examples from collections in America, England, France, Germany, and Switzerland are featured here. Over 500 color photos display jewelry, portrait miniatures, pottery and glassware, paintings and sculpture, posthumous photographs, hair-work memorials, and more. Current values are provided in the captions. Historians, dealers, and collectors alike will find this book an excellent resource for Victoriana, Georgian and Victorian memorial arts, and antique jewelry, subjects never before treated together in a single volume.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #639084 in Books
• Published on: 2004-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 253 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780764319648
• Condition: USED - ACCEPTABLE
• Notes:
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Customer Reviews

Superb book on Antique mourning art and jewelry
This is without question the best book ever written on mourning jewelry, mourning customs/history and mourning art. There are a wide range of subjects discussed, from mourning jewelry to post-mortem photography to mourning clothing and even china for those in mourning! This book is an encyclopedia which reads like a novel! I was very impressed with the variety and quality of the photos in the book. The book is a great read and a great reference book!

A "Must-Have" book for mourning item fans.
This is the seminal and most comprehensive book on mourning art and jewelery ever written. The photography is outstanding. It gives values for the items. The author has expert knowledge in every facet of mourning covered. This publication is huge, and beautiful, and so unique. You will not regret buying this book.

An amazing book by an expert indeed
There wasn't anything in the book that wasn't a joy to read. A visual delight as well. Maureen is VERY knowledgeable in the field of mourning, and her expertise shows in this wonderful book. If you love history, as I do, you will get a lot of historical facts. I wish Maureen and her book much success.