Georgian Engraved Round Memorial Locket "In Memory of Adey"

Ah, lovely Adey, with her upswept curls and her rosebud lips, her dark eyes staring heavenwards as if she knew her own fate. Yes, poor Adey, much beloved and now gone too soon; and yet here she still is, two hundred years later and still looking sweetly at the stars. Hand crafted in about 1820, this style of machine turned locket was commonly used in memorial pieces, many times it held hair, but very fines ones such as this would hold a small hand painted miniature of the dearly departed. This miniature is particularly good, the artist certainly had an eye for detail. Set behind a thick crystal, the little painting has been particularly well preserved. The opposite side of the locket is engraved simply and beautifully with ‘In Memory of Adey’. This fantastic locket is larger than the usual examples that I find, it measures a full 43 mm north to south and 36 mm in diameter, it is 9.8 mm thick. It was likely made for a man. The locket is unmarked as is typical for the era and tests as 15