The Victorians were fascinated by the natural world, and "specimen jewelry" let them wear a little piece of it. Fossils were especially interesting as geological curiousities. They were evidence of a very, VERY old world that scientists were only beginning to understand. Cut and polished like gemstones, their intricate patterns invited contemplation - could these really have been formed MILLIONS of years ago? This massive hunk of fossilized material would have blown minds in the 19th century (and today!)
MATERIALS: pinchbeck, steel, 2 1/8" x 1 5/8" fossil
AGE: c. 1870
CONDITION: Good - some oxidation on the frame
SIZE: 2 3/8" X 1 7/8"