The Widow’s Collection: Misery

$165.00

Inspiration for this strand has been drawn from The Menagerie Oddities & Curiosities Holiday Market Event at the Historic Winchester Mystery House. The Winchester House, often referred to as The Winchester Castle is a sprawling, climbing, twisting, puzzling marvel of architectural design! Legend has it the Window Winchester, known to be an avid fan of the Spiritualist movement and heir to the Winchester Rifle fortune had the house built and designed to protect herself from any restless spirits that may have any malicious intent towards her. She remained in a perpetual state of mourning after her husband’s death of consumption (tuberculosis) and draped herself in All Black Everything until she herself died. (A woman after our own little black hearts!)

Available on backorder

This design as you see it, is currently out of stock. Should you desire a sold out strand from the Widow's Collection, your own piece of Misery, please "Order" and a new, similar design will be created just for you. One of A Kind. Never duplicated.

Long and luxurious, with an elegant design that is more is representative of the traditional style of mourning jewelry that was worn in the late Victorian era (1860s-1880s). Mourning jewelry came to represent love, loss and grief; steeped in custom and tradition that took over one's life for a minimum of 1 year after a loved one's death, All Black Everything. Black clothes would give way to more somber colors of gray, mauve or purple were permitted. The black jewelry often consisted of jet, a hard material that was quite expensive and difficult to work with and more affordable materials like onyx and black glass. Many of the black stones have been repurposed from vintage jewelry acquired from local estate sales. Wrap this striking piece as many times and wear it as a collar. Finished with a vintage black onyx etched scarab in a golden brass connector.

The Widow Winchester went into a perpetual state of mourning after the loss of her husband to tuberculosis (consumption) and wore only black until she died in 1922.

Approximate length: 49"

Additional information

Dimensions 49 in