Victorian "Tillie" Hidden Hair Memorial Ring

Now all but forgotten, the art of wearing mourning jewelry was once a common practice for hundreds of years. Popular in the time before photography, mourning jewelry was created to serve as a keepsake to remember a lost loved one.  Many pieces would include a lock of the deceased's hair or, later, their photograph.  What we love most about this unusual little ring is that it is harboring a secret! To the everyday admirer, this ring may look like a simple 9k gold band belonging to Tillie, whose name is engraved on the shield.  However, hidden within a secret compartment on each side of the band is a lock of dear, sweet Tillie's woven hair. Inside the band the date, "April 29th 1882," is engraved, which is most likely the day Tillie departed this life.  These hidden hair rings were not as popular as other hair/mourning pieces of the time, which make this one a real treat!  Since wearing jewelry made of hair was considered quite fashionable, most of the pieces we see are quite obviously m