ANTIQUE AUSTRALIAN c1900 GLASS LOCKET & CHAIN 9ct GOLD

Beautifully handcrafted by prestigious early Australian jewellers Willis and Co this gorgeous locket features double circular glass panels suspended from an ornate top, opening and closing with a push clasp to the side.

With the iconic unicorn stamp for Willis and co & 9ct to the base.

Selling with 9ct vintage Figaro 5+1 link chain as seen in photos.

What we love:

This locket is a delight to wear, with so many options for you to add a personal touch think dried flowers, photos of loved ones etc.

About the Maker:

History of Willis & Co (Abridged) from ‘Australiana’ – The Journal of Australian Society.

When Richard and Thomas Willis established their jewellery business in Melbourne, in 1858, as importers and wholesalers scarcely could they have imagined that some fifty years later their successors, Willis and Sons, would have become one of the leading manufacturers of gold jewellery in Australia.

Yet the pattern of development of this family business was not dissimilar to that of other merchants who sensed the opportunities that were to flow from the discovery of gold in the Australian colonies in 1851. By 1868, R. & T. Willis were listed in the Melbourne directory as manufacturing jewellers as well as importers.

In 1876 the firm became T Willis & Co, under the control of Thomas and V.J. Willis. Willis & Co continued to trade as wholesale jewellers and importers of watches, clocks, silver and electroplated wares.

It would seem that Willis & Co were engaged in all aspects of the jewellery trade other than retailing. The firm maintained a presence in London, and later in Birmingham — presumably to assist in their importing activities. In Australia, branches had been opened in Sydney and Perth.

With the coming of Federation in 1901, the newly founded Commonwealth government was to impose customs duties on many imported goods, including jewellery — apparently at levels sufficient to encourage, and no doubt protect, local manufacturers. Increasingly wholesale jewellery firms turned to manufacturing, not least among these was T Willis & Co.

In 1904 Willis & Co was incorporated as Willis and Sons Pty Ltd. Willis and Sons was to become the prime manufacturer of gold jewellery in Australia through the 1910s and 1920s. By 1908 they had constructed new premises - manufactory and warehouse, at 350-356 Little Collins Street, Melbourne.  A vast array of jewellery was produced in 9, 15 and 18 carat gold, and in silver, until the closure of their manufactory in 1931, in the midst of the Great Depression, when the company reverted to importing.

The Details:

Size: 2.5cm

Length of Chain:  62cm

Metal: 9ct yellow gold, with rose gold details, chain 9ct 

Hallmarks: Unicorn, 9 – for Willis and Co, chain marked 375 for 9ct

Weight:  12.80 grams (all in)

Condition:  In excellent Antique condition, original glass panels fit securely in their frame, no chips or scratches, closure in excellent working order, no issues to note