Mary Lincoln Jewelry, etc. at Lincoln Heritage Museum

[Donna McCreary]

Gene, when you visit, see if you can look at the documentation on that brooch. I would like to see a dated receipt. I have spent years studying mourning attire and jewelry and have never, ever seen one piece of mourning jewelry that is blue. It looks like a presentation piece, not something that was actually worn. Also, a mourning fan is not suppose to have spangles. Mary was a typical Victorian fashion plate. She may have exaggerated a fashion, (such as flowers in the hair - her arrangements were larger than most) but she did not break fashion rules.