Woven in Hair - British Museum, London - Until 1-9-2019

[dognose]

British Museum
Room 90a
Great Russell Street
London. WC1B 3DG


Woven in Hair - A Recent Gift of Hairwork Jewellery

Until 1st September 2019

Uncover the surprising beauty of jewellery made from human hair and the intimate meaning such pieces had for those who wore them, as friendship, sentimental or memorial tokens. Made in the 1840s to 1860s, these exquisite jewels, selected from a recent gift, are shown for the first time.

The fashion for hairwork jewellery was made popular in Britain by Queen Victoria. Throughout her life the Queen exchanged locks of freshly cut hair – her own, and those of her children and grandchildren – with members of her family on birthdays and anniversaries. The hair was either mounted in lockets or bracelets, or braided into three-dimensional jewellery made entirely of hair.

These hairwork jewels are a gift from Ann Louise Luthi, author of Sentimental Jewellery (1998) and long-standing volunteer in the Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory.

Opening hours: Daily 10.00–17.30 (Fridays until 20.30).

Admission: Free

https://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/ ... _hair.aspx