A deeply personal Victorian memorial stickpin in 18ct yellow gold, dated 1865, with a stylised buckle motif in satin-finished gold and an engraving to the reverse commemorating Thomas Ovington Harrison, who died on 29 December 1865. Memorial jewellery was a central part of Victorian mourning culture — worn as a tangible expression of grief and remembrance, and often given to close family members or friends of the deceased. The buckle was a recognised motif in Victorian mourning jewellery, symbolising the bond between the living and the departed, and the satin finish of the gold gives the piece a quiet, restrained dignity entirely in keeping with its purpose. That the name and date of death are engraved to the reverse transforms this from an antique object into a piece of genuine human history — a memorial to a specific individual, made in the year of his death, and worn in his memory. Tests as 18ct gold. Head 1.7 × 1.6cm; weight 5.1g; pin length 8cm.

The Details

• Dated: 1865
• Weight: 5.1g
• Head dimensions: 1.7 × 1.6cm
• Pin length: 8cm
• Hallmarks: Tests as 18ct gold
• Inscription: In memory of Thomas Ovington Harrison, d. 29 December 1865
• Motif: Buckle (satin-finished 18ct gold)