Lexington County Museum Artifact of the Week September 9-15

This week's artifact is a mourning pin/brooch worn by Martha Anna Lorick Hook (1842-1918). It features a wreath of 6 black leaves with 5 pearls in between on a gold ring.  Although mourning jewelry had been around before the Victorian period, it reached a high point in popularity after Queen Victoria began wearing matching clothing and jewelry after the death of her husband Prince Albert in 1861.  Americans soon began adopting this tradition. 

Check out more artifacts like these at the Lexington County Museum! (www.lex-co.sc.gov/museum).