• Little Black Mourning Boot Brooch, a cluster of glossy black beads around a silver filigree bead above a tiny antique doll leg in a painted black boot laced with black wire, resting on cream linen beside a pine cone, rust and brown oak leaves and scattered lavender buds
  • Close view of a mourning brooch with black beads and silver filigree beads gathered like a flower over a white antique doll leg, its painted black boot wrapped in black wire with a tiny glass pearl at the ankle, on cream cloth with an orange autumn leaf and pine cone
  • Black and silver filigree bead brooch with a dangling antique doll leg in a laced black boot, lying below a pine cone and dried red and brown oak leaves on stained cream linen with lavender buds
  • Video of the Little Black Mourning Boot Brooch, black beads and silver filigree above an antique doll leg in a laced black boot, shown on cream linen with a pine cone and autumn leaves
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My Nostalgic Soul

Little Black Mourning Boot Brooch: Antique Doll Leg, Black Beads & Silver Filigree

Little Black Mourning Boot Brooch: Antique Doll Leg, Black Beads & Silver Filigree

$29.99 USD
$29.99 USD
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When Prince Albert died in the winter of 1861, Queen Victoria put on black and never really took it off again, and a whole country followed her into mourning. Grief had a wardrobe then. Black crape, black beads where there used to be gold, a little pin worn at the collar, and underneath all those heavy skirts the ladies still laced themselves into tall black boots every morning, hook by hook, all the way up past the ankle.

I had one vintage filigree earring left over from a previous piece, and this tiny antique doll leg with her painted black boot, and the two of them just seemed to belong together. I wire wrapped the leg in black wire to give it the fun detail of having been laced up, the way those old boots were.

The smooth black beads and silver filigree beads on the earring seem gathered into a little flower, and I added one tiny glass pearl at the ankle for a little light. She's sweet, a little haunted, and very Victorian, like something you'd find in a grandmother's jewelry box after a hundred years. Pin her to a cardigan, a collar, a hat band or your favorite tote.

Details

  • Vintage silver-tone filigree earring, given a second life
  • Smooth black beads and silver filigree beads gathered into a flower
  • Tiny antique doll leg with her original painted black boot, laced in black wire
  • One tiny glass pearl at the ankle
  • One of a kind, no two will ever be alike
  • Handmade with love in my cottage studio in Kansas

From My Nostalgic Soul to yours. — Gwendalynn Grey

Care, Wear & Provenance

A little history, a little care

Every piece I make is built by hand from things that have already lived a life. Antique bisque doll fragments, old keys and photographs, lace, silk ribbon, chandelier crystals and vintage beads, all put back together into something you can wear. They're sturdier than they look (the bisque in particular), but they are still old, and a little care goes a long way toward keeping them beautiful.

Wearing your piece

  • Put your jewelry on last, after perfume, lotion and hairspray, and take it off before you bathe, swim, sleep or do anything strenuous.
  • Keep the whole piece away from water and harsh chemicals and high heat. 
  • Be gentle with the bisque and the other fragile parts. A drop onto a hard floor or a hard knock can chip or crack them.

Cleaning

A soft, dry cloth is all it needs. Please don't use jewelry dips, silver polish or an ultrasonic cleaner, and don't rub the bisque with a polishing cloth, because they can strip old finishes, lift paint and loosen joints. Old silver-tone and brass metal darkens with time. That's normal, a naturally protective coating, and it's part of the look, so there's no need to polish it away.

Storing it

Keep each piece on its own in a dry place out of direct sunlight, so nothing scratches or tangles. Pieces with ribbon or lace keep their shape best laid flat, and the box or pouch yours came in makes a good home for it.

Please note

These are keepsakes for grown-ups, not toys, and they aren't meant for children. They have small parts that can come loose, and some old metal findings may possibly contain lead or nickel. If your skin is sensitive to base metals, you may want to wear yours over clothing or for shorter stretches.

Provenance and materials

Every bisque doll in my Frozen Charlotte and Frozen Charlie pieces is an authentic antique. The rest of a piece is a mix. Some parts are antique or vintage, like keys, lace, photographs and beads, and some are newer replicas. When I know how old something is or where it came from, I say so in that piece's description. Otherwise I can't promise the exact age, maker or history of every part.

Because these pieces are made from old things, they can show small variations, signs of age and little imperfections. I think that's a big part of their charm, and it's what makes each one the only one of its kind. That's why they chose you and me.

From My Nostalgic Soul to yours. — Gwendalynn Grey

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