What is an antique memento mori?

An antique memento mori is an object created to remind the beholder of their mortality. These range from personal jewellery like hair mourning rings to carved bone skulls and oil paintings. Such items reflect historical attitudes towards death and remembrance, spanning the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

How were mourning rings used?

Mourning rings were commissioned to commemorate deceased loved ones, often worn by family members as a personal tribute. They frequently incorporated braided human hair, gold settings and inscriptions. By wearing the ring, the bereaved kept a physical piece of the departed close at hand during periods of social mourning.

What materials appear in these pieces?

Makers used a wide array of organic and precious materials to create these items. Gold, bone, stag horn, canvas, oil paint, glass stones, enamel and human hair all feature prominently in the historical record. Each material served a specific purpose, from the durability of cast gold in rings to the fine detail achievable in carved bone sculptures.

How do I date a memento mori piece?

Dating relies on stylistic conventions, material choices and hallmarks where present. Georgian pieces often utilise specific hairwork patterns and closed-back gold settings, while Victorian examples incorporate distinct Gothic revival motifs. Comparing the specific object type, such as a Georgian hair brooch or an Edwardian skeleton sculpture, against established period benchmarks helps clarify its origin.

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Antique Memento Mori

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These antique memento mori pieces remind us of mortality through skulls, skeletons and hair, offering a tangible connection to historical remembrance.

19th century

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19th Century Brass Alter Crucifix

From Jane Short Antiques

£130

3+ MONTHS AGO

miscellaneous

19th century

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Early Victorian Mourning Brooch C1850

From Aramis Antiques

£185

3+ MONTHS AGO

jewellery

A Large Oil on Canvas Study of Saint Jerome.

1900 - 1920

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A Large Oil on Canvas Study of Saint Jerome.

From Minerva Antiques Ltd

£560

3+ MONTHS AGO

art

Georgian 9ct Gold Hair and Seed Pearl Mourning Ring

18th century

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Georgian 9ct Gold Hair and Seed Pearl Mourning Ring

From Corvidae Antique

£345

3+ MONTHS AGO

jewellery

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Antique Memento Mori

19th Century Brass Alter Crucifix

Early Victorian Mourning Brooch C1850

A Large Oil on Canvas Study of Saint Jerome.

Georgian 9ct Gold Hair and Seed Pearl Mourning Ring

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