Mary Lincoln Jewelry, etc. at Lincoln Heritage Museum

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(04-21-2015 08:34 PM)Donna McCreary Wrote:  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.

I thought the same thing about the fan when I saw it sparkle at me, Donna. You are very likely correct in suspecting that the brooch is a presentation piece because it certainly does not have any of the characteristics of a mourning piece (or coming out of mourning piece).