Mourning bracelet

1850-1880

Place madeUnited States, North America

orEurope

Hair, metal, glass

Overall (closed): 1/2 × 2 × 1 7/8 in. (1.3 × 5.1 × 4.8 cm)

Gift of Sarah Lathrop Hunter

1933.137b

Hair jewelry came in a variety of patterns. This light-colored bracelet, made with strands of flaxen hair, includes a bezel at center fashioned into a plaited “Turk's knot” motif. The hair is from Sarah Eayers Davis, Phebe Ann Davis, and Matthew Livingston Davis. Matthew Davis, a New York journalist and close friend of Aaron Burr, was in attendance at the 1804 duel in which the latter shot Alexander Hamilton. .

DescriptionLight brown mourning bracelet with metal clasp fastener and security clip at the center; the design running the length of the bracelet looks like weaving, and is trimmed on both edges with narrow braiding unattached to the center piece; the clasp is rectangular with glass set in a bezel at the center with hair plaited in a Turk's knot; the clasp fastens to metal end bails at the terminus of each end with chain links; the back of the clasp and the security clip have monograms engraved.

Markingsengraved: reverse of clasp: "MLD" engraved: obverse of security clip: "PD"

ClassificationsJEWELRY