Whitby jet Victorian hand carved floral belt buckle
Directory: Estate Jewelry: Silver: Victorian: Pre 1900: Item # 667390
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Tampa
Florida 33625-1630
813-363-8000
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This Beautiful belt buckle is made entirely of Mid-Victorian Hand-Carved Whitby Jet. The Brooch is deeply carved with leaves and flower blooms – in great detail.
Today it is illegal to mine jet in Whitby because the only jet left is in seams in the walls of the cliffs over the town. To remove it from the cliffs would cause them to tumble down and destroy the town. The two remaining jet cutters today have to rely on pieces that wash up on the beaches of this seacoast town. Because of its scarcity, jet jewelry is very precious, and early examples are avidly collected.
The Romans called Jet ‘Black Amber’.
Each half of the buckle is 2 3/8" x 1 1/2". The total buckle is 3 1/4" x 2 3/8" wide.