Collecting Antique Lockets

January 10th, 2012

Lockets evolved from ancient amulets and really became popular in the Elizabethan era.  Elizabeth I wore a locket ring, containing her own portait and that of her mother, Anne Boleyn.  Elizabeth was in the habit of giving jewel encrusted lockets to the likes of Francis Drake and others of her favourites.  Mary Queen of Scots is supposed to have presented her servant with her locket on the eve of her execution – it is known as the Penicuik locket and is now in the Scottish National Museum.  The images in antique lockets were hand painted by the leading artists of the day and could only have been afforded by the wealthy.

While we often imagine the antique locket as a token between lovers, the 17th century brought another dimension.  It was not uncommon for people to wear a concealed locket containing the image of Charles I, to signal opposition to Cromwell.  In the following century the Jacobite supporters would wear hidden lockets of the young Pretender. Continue reading »

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