Need Help with Possible Mourning Necklace

[cxgirl]

Hi,

I'm trying to figure this necklace out, not sure if it is old and been re-strung and glued. Looking at the pendant piece I can see fishing line(?) in between the beads, and some glue at the top. The necklace part has been strung with fishing line (or something similar). Looks like hair on the pendant which made me think a mourning piece, but how would I know for sure?

Any ideas appreciated.

thanks for looking.

[cxgirl]

here are more photos.

[bluedaemon23]

Huh. That's a stumper. The brass finding on the pendant tells me it's older than the rest of the piece. It might even be from a piece of Victorian mourning jewelry, though I'm not sure the finding is that old. Looks to me like the pendant was attached to a contemporary double strand of beads - the lobster claw and split ring point to newer and the metal doesn't match the pendant. On the other hand, there are people doing hair jewelry today and the whole thing could be newer. The age of the beads would tell you a lot if I knew enough about beads.

[flipping_treasures]

I agree with Blue.  I think this is a marriage of parts from different eras.  I can't tell if the black pendant is hair or twine from the picture. 

[cxgirl]

Thanks blue and  flipping!

I can't tell if it is hair either. It is very hard so I suspect glue or something has been applied (for lack of a better word) all over the pendant With the beads on the pendant being strung on fishing line I wondered if maybe an old peice put back together.

thanks for your help!

[dins9187]

Could be horse hair.  There are sites that do that now.