Beautiful Victorian Mizpah Vulcanite Locket, circa 1870
 
The Navette shaped locket with high relief moulding of a bouquet of roses and forget me nots, with a banner writ 'Mizpah'  which hinges open to reveal a compartment for hair or a photograph.
 
A really fine piece
 
The vulcanisation of natural rubber with sulphur was discovered by Charles Goodyear in the USA about 1839 and was patented by Hancock in England in May 1843 and Goodyear in USA in June. Patents for hard rubber (vulcanite) were granted to Hancock in England in 1843 and to Nelson Goodyear (brother of Charles) in USA in 1851.
Mouldings in vulcanite (hard rubber) were exhibited by both Hancock and Goodyear at the Great Exhibition of 1851.
The material is most commonly black in colour and has been used to make combs, buttons, vesta cases and jewelry that closely resembles Whitby Jet.
 
weighs - 12.3g
measures - 55mm x 30mm approx
english circa 1870
condition - excellent