Cremation Jewelry History

The Victorian age was named for England’s Queen Victoria. She took the throne in 1837 and died on January 22, 1901. Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, died of typhoid in 1861.

During this period of forty years, the Queen was in mourning. She remained in full mourning for three years and dressed the entire court that way. It was in this period when the beginnings of cremation jewelry began. It was called mourning jewelry and since it did not hold ashes it was more symbolic then today’s cremation jewelry.

Much of the first mourning jewelry was made of intricately woven hair. This really was the first jewelry that actually contained a part of the deceased, which is the bases of all cremation jewelry. Most people today use cremation jewelry to hold a portion of ashes, but many still prefer to just put some hair in cremation jewelry. Hair art--the ancient practice of creating wreaths, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, bonnets and other decorative accessories entirely from human hair. The pieces resemble the intricate crochet work that might be found at a crafts fair, but without the thickness and coarseness of crocheting thread and with a much more elaborate weave.

Popular in England during the Victorian Era and in the United States during the Civil War, hair work was a symbolic art that served as a keepsake or a "love token" to show affection, commemorate the loss of a loved one or to keep a loved one close during times of physical separation. Cremation was not popular in this era, so it is no wonder why hair was used as the first jewelry keepsakes, and during times or mourning, she added, hair was often clipped from the head of a deceased person and then woven into a bonnet that would be given to the next of kin. This is very similar to the way cremation jewelry is used today.

This uniquely urn shaped brooch has a locket back. This is an example of the very first cremation jewelry concept that is widely accepted today. Perhaps this urn brooch was created to hold a loved ones hair or cremated remains or a photo. The brooch is a low karat rose gold and is decorated with turquoise and seed pearls.

Cremation jewelry faded out of use and did not resurface until March of 1992. Madelyn Saxer’s zest for living and her ability to embrace death, the concept of the Keepsake Pendant was born: A symbol of continuing love. A reassuring remembrance to keep close to one’s heart. Madelyn Company was born out of a need, and today’s cremation jewelry pendants are all desendents of the first cremation jewelry pendants created by the family of Madelyn. Here at Cremation Solutions we still proudly offer the products of Madelyn Company. They were the first to market cremation jewelry to the funeral industry and they are still leaders in cremation jewelry innovation today.