Earrings (Sold)

- January 3, 2009

Victorian Whitby Jet Earrings

9468sm

These elegant Greek Revival earrings were carved out of Whitby Jet.   Whitby Jet is known the world over for its beautiful soft texture, dense black color and very high polish.

Whitby jet was mined from the cliffs along the coast of Whitby, in the North East of England.

When Albert, the beloved husband of Queen Victoria died, she bought and wore masses of jet and as a result the trade received much publicity and entered a boom period. By 1870 there were fifteen hundred men, women and children employed in the jet industry, and Whitby Jet was sent to all parts of the world.   The popularity of Whitby jet spawned the production of  “French Jet” (glass) and other less expensive substitutes such as Bakelite.

Dimensions:   1 and 1/2 inches long,  not including wires.  Earrings are light weight, easy to wear & have 15kt. rose gold wires.

Condition:  excellent, a tiny chip on the handle of one urn on one earring

Circa:  1860-80

Reference number: 9468

Price: Sold

9468a
9468
9468side
9468size
9468note

SOLD

Comments about this Item

  1. 5 Comments

  2. These are very beautiful. Please forgive my ignorance but is the jet gathered from beaches or is it mined? I have often wondered about that.
    Whitby is filled with so many lovely treasures and the fact that they have anything to do with Queen Victoria, makes them more appealing to me :-) !

    By Christina on Jan 4, 2009

  3. Dear Christina, thank you for the complement and your question. A great deal of Whitby jet was found on the beaches but due to the huge demand for it, mining of Jet begin in earnest around 1850.

    By Darlene on Jan 4, 2009

  4. Darlene, thank you for answering my question – I had vague memories of once reading about those who gathered jet in the 19th century but wasn’t sure if I had imagined it! Now I know.
    Your site is very beautiful and I shall return here often.

    By Christina on Jan 4, 2009

  5. It has been a pleasure chatting with you! I look forward to “seeing” you again!

    By Darlene on Jan 4, 2009

  6. I would like to buy these earrings or others like them. jet amphoras.

    By Lisa on Dec 8, 2010

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