Release Date: 07/05/09
SYNOPSIS:
Jet, a hard, black, shiny gen, closely related to coal, has been fashioned into jewellery and trinkets for generations, but during the Victorian period, when the ritual surrounding death and the long mourning of Queen Victoria made black fashionable, jet became hugely popular. Although jet is found elsewhere in the world, it is the jet from Whitby that excites collectors and even jet jewellery manufactured elsewhere is often called Whitby Jet. This book traces the history of jet and the Whitby jet industry, Different types and styles of jet jewellery are examined, and the work of some of the best-known Whitby craftsmen is pictured.
REVIEW:
Whilst many people are familiar with family heirloom jewellery made from Gold or Silver or even the paste from the Art Deco period, few are familiar with Jet which was made popular in the Victorian Era by the Queen herself during her long mourning period. This title by Helen and Kate Muller, celebrates the craftsmen of the period as well as this quirky jewellery in this informative, well written title about this phenomena.
Add to this a lot of illustrations/photographs to demonstrate the versatility of the medium as well as examples that back up the author’s point of view and for those interested in the history of Jewellery this is a wonderful title to own. All in, this book was something that I really enjoyed reading and whilst a lot of the jet jewellery out there is known as Whitby Jet, it’s to the originators as well as proud history of the area to which this book alludes. Great stuff.
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