This book rewrites the history of jewellery in the age of Victoria. The 'age of Victoria' is taken in its widest sense to encompass jewellery made throughout Europe and America, displayed at the great international exhibitions and distributed through foreign trade, illustrated publications and a burgeoning tourist industry. Throughout, links with other disciplines will provide both the specialist and the non-specialist with the information to understand how jewellery permeated all walks and conditions of life in the 19th century.

Preface 7

1 QUEEN VICTORIA: A LIFE IN JEWELLERY

2 THE ROLE OF JEWELLERY, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE

3 JEWELLERYAND DRESS

4 THE LANGUAGE OF JEWELLERY

  THE CULT OF NOVELTY

  What the papers say: jewellery and topical events 197

  Jewellery and scientific or technical inventions 200

  The impact of the stage 214

  Surprise, deception and not so hidden messages 218

  Nature imitating nature: jewellery and animal products 225

6 BRITAIN AND THE WORLD

  The International Exhibitions 250

  Links with the East: India, the Islamic world, China and Japan 294

  The role of 'peasant' and regional jewellery from Continental Europe 316

7 NATIONALISM AND HISTORICAL STYLES IN JEWELLERY

  Historical revival jewellery in England 337

  Historicism in France: style romantique and Renaissance revival 354

  Germany and the passion for 'Alt-Deutsch' 367

8 ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES AND NATIONAL IDENTITY

  The Egyptian revival 379

  The Assyrian revival 387

  The Castellani and the Italian Risorgimento 398

  The influence of Castellani outside Italy 426

  The Scandinavian revival 437

  The Celtic revival and Irish national identity 444

  The recreation of tradition in Scotland 454

9 VICTORIAN CAMEOS

10 SOUVENIRS OF TRAVEL AT HOME AND ABROAD

  Notes 506

  Bibliography 539

  Illustration acknowledgements 545

  Index 547