Transatlantic cable memento jewellery: a slice of historical past.
Transatlantic cable memento jewellery is an exceptionally area of interest subset of vintage jewellery – and a very fascinating one!
I’m betting most of you haven’t seen certainly one of these earlier than…however don’t fear, I’m going to inform you allllllll about them.
What even is transatlantic cable memento jewellery? To adequately reply this query, we have to speak in regards to the historical past of the world’s first transatlantic cable.
For many of human existence, the one technique to talk throughout distance was to have a message delivered by hand. That’s why it was so revolutionary when the telegraph was invented within the early 1800’s: instantly you would ship messages all around the nation!
However even this miraculous expertise was restricted by the place you would lay a wire. No telegraphs might be despatched throughout the huge Atlantic ocean.
In 1853, American Cyrus West Discipline started elevating cash for an formidable venture: to put the world’s first transatlantic cable between New York Metropolis and London, England. The venture confronted many challenges, from discovering ships and engineers for the venture to determining construct a cable sturdy sufficient to outlive being laid throughout the ocean flooring (see this glorious video for extra particulars).
The primary two makes an attempt at a transatlantic cable failed, however on August 16, 1858, Queen Victoria and President James Buchanan used the finished cable to efficiently alternate pleasantries from throughout the Atlantic ocean.
Folks had been so excited by this groundbreaking feat of technological accomplishment that they needed to have fun in a time honored approach: by shopping for souvenirs!
Tiffany & Co. marketed within the New York Instances on August 21, 1858 that they bought your complete inventory of spare cable from the usNiagara, a ship that helped lay the cable, “with the intention to place it inside attain of all lessons, and that each household in america could posses a specimen of this excellent mechanical curiosity.”
Tiffany & Co. bought 1000’s of brass-bound cable samples as memento objects, however in addition they made silver dishes, strolling canes with handles made out of spare cable, scrimshaw tributes, snuff containers with cable slices set into the lid – in addition to wholesaling the cable to different producers who then made their very own merchandise. You possibly can see examples right here, on this glorious web site devoted to the topic.
However after all, our focus is on transatlantic cable memento jewellery! Distinctive and terribly uncommon, I’ve solely ever seen a couple of examples nonetheless intact, and solely ever on-line…at the least till not too long ago, once I had the nice fortune to amass a bit for my very own assortment (!!!!).
Let’s have a look at a couple of examples, together with my very own.
Right here’s a bit of transatlantic cable memento jewellery with a provenance as spectacular as its beautiful particulars: this pendant was reportedly a Reward from Queen Victoria to Isaac Toucey, Secretary of the Navy below President James Buchanan. Toucey was the one who really obtained the primary transatlantic telegraph despatched by Queen Victoria in 1858.
As if that weren’t cool sufficient, the pendant is thicker than most and superbly detailed, with an anchor formed bale and an in depth hand-engraving of the usS. Niagara (one of many ships that laid the cable) on the reverse aspect.
The very best factor about this jaw-dropping treasure? It’s the one piece of transatlantic cable memento jewellery I can discover that’s at the moment accessible on the market!! Discover it at Velvet Field Society.
One other cool instance that I haven’t seen wherever else is that this transatlantic cable memento watch key pendant. Like all of those items, it dates to the Victorian period.
I like the concept of adorning a watch key – a practical piece of knickknack used to take care of timekeeping expertise – with a slice of the primary transatlantic cable.
Because of Mouse’s Home Antiques for letting me characteristic this treasure from their bought archive!
Right here’s a photograph that we’re very fortunate to have. This transatlantic cable memento bracelet (!!!) is the one certainly one of its form I’ve ever seen and even heard of. A bracelet!! Are you able to even?
This magnificence belongs to Mr. Invoice Burns, the educated gentleman behind Atlantic-Cable.com, a supply I consulted a number of instances whereas writing this text. My quest for info led me to e mail Invoice, and he very kindly supplied to let me share the images of this treasure from his personal assortment with you.
It is a very uncommon instance of Transatlantic cable memento jewellery, one that includes two slices of the cable set on opposing sides of a gold locket.
Why two slices? The outside of the locket is inscribed with two dates, they usually reply our query within the coolest approach: the primary compartment of the locket holds a slice of cable from the primary failed try at laying the cable, whereas the second compartment holds a slice of cable from the profitable completion of the venture.
Because of Erica Weiner for letting me characteristic this treasure from their bought archive!
Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont. Courtesy Winterthur Museum, Backyard & Library.
Right here’s one other very excessive finish instance! This extraordinary transatlantic cable memento watch fob is at the moment within the assortment of the Winterthur Museum, Backyard & Library.
This one bears a hanging resemblance to the pendant on the market by Velvet Field Society up prime, doesn’t it? It’s related in heft and design, and shares the twisted rope border and the anchor bale, though this piece’s bale has the extra embellishment of two shields that look like a tribute to the US and British flags.
The Winterthur Museum credit Tiffany & Co. because the possible maker of this unsigned piece, which could be very cool. Based on the museum’s web site:
This small attraction is a memento made to commemorate the primary trans-Atlantic telegraph cable, laid in 1858. In the course of the autumn of that yr, New York and London retailers and jewelers took benefit of public fascination with the cable. They created and bought objects reminiscent of charms, candlesticks, cane handles and paperweights incorporating sections of the excess British-made cable.
Unmarked by its producer or retailer, this attraction is constructed with a gold case surrounding a cross-section slice of the florette-shape heart made by seven copper wires of the cable housed inside its pure insulator of gutta-purcha all certain inside seven-ply twists of iron wire. […] Such memento “charms” had been marketed by New York jewellery and silver service provider Tiffany & Firm for American patrons.”
This piece was a bequest of Henry Francis du Pont. Courtesy Winterthur Museum, Backyard & Library.
This silver instance is a Maltese cross brooch or medal, made in silver. Its provenance and unique function are unknown, however the entrance is inscribed “Atlantic Telegraph Agamemnon Valorous” and the again reads “Fairfield August 1858.”
This instance involves us from Invoice Burns of The Atlantic Cable.
And eventually, right here is my very personal piece Transatlantic cable memento jewellery!! I snapped this magnificence up the second I noticed it seem in AntiqueGemsNJewels’ Etsy store.
My pendant is easier than among the exceptionally excessive finish ones we’ve checked out as we speak – this less complicated design in silver is the kind of memento that most individuals seeking to commemorate this event would have chosen.
I particularly benefit from the chased aspect particulars on mine, which look to me like stylized acanthus leaves. I haven’t discovered the right chain to put on it on but, however I’m having enjoyable trying.
Transatlantic cable memento jewellery from The Atlantic Cable
What do you consider this fascinating jewellery class, my darlings? Are you as enamored of it as I’m? Do any of you additionally personal certainly one of these uncommon treasures from the previous?
If you happen to’ve loved this publish and need to take pleasure in pondering extra in regards to the excessive coolness of technological pioneers in undersea cable, I extremely advocate The Satan Comes Courting by Courtney Milan, a pleasant historic romance novel that tells the (fictional) love story of two individuals engaged on this endeavor.
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Transatlantic cable memento jewellery from The Atlantic Cable
Sources:
Bloomberg QuickTake. “The Undersea Cable That Linked the World.” YouTube, 16 Apr. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV0Wc9Y33so.
Burns, Invoice . “Historical past of the Atlantic Cable & Submarine Telegraphy – Souvenirs.” Atlantic-Cable.com, 2022, atlantic-cable.com/Souvenirs/index.htm#gsc.tab=0. Accessed 16 Jan. 2025.
Klara, Robert. To Make Tiffany & Co. a Family Title, the Luxurious Model’s Founder Cashed in on the Trans-Atlantic Telegraph Craze | Smithsonian, Smithsonian Journal , 15 Feb. 2024, www.smithsonianmag.com/historical past/to-make-tiffany-co-a-household-name-the-luxury-brands-founder-cashed-in-on-the-trans-atlantic-telegraph-craze-180983782/.
“Jewellery – Watch Fob (Appeal) – Search the Assortment – Winterthur Museum.” Search the Winterthur Museum Assortment, Winterthur Museum, museumcollection.winterthur.org/single-record.php?resultsperpage=40&view=catalog&srchtype=superior&hasImage=&ObjObjectName=&CreOrigin=&Earliest=&Newest=&CreCreatorLocal_tab=&materialsearch=&ObjObjectID=&ObjCategory=&DesMaterial_tab=&DesTechnique_tab=&AccCreditLineLocal=&CreMarkSignature=&recid=1959.0565&srchfld=ObjCategory&srchtxt=&id=d56d&rownum=161&model=100&src=results-imagelink. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.
“Uncommon Victorian Transatlantic Cable Memento Pendant 14K Gold 1800s.” Mouse’s Home Antiques, mouseshouseantiques.com/merchandise/rare-victorian-transatlantic-cable-01076. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.
“Uncommon Vintage Transatlantic Cable Pendant in Yellow Gold.” VELVET BOX SOCIETY, www.velvetboxsociety.com/retailer/p1444/rareantiquetransatlanticcablependantinyellowgold.html. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.
“Victorian Transatlantic Telegraph Memento Locket.” Erica Weiner, www.ericaweiner.com/merchandise/victorian-transatlantic-telegraph-souvenir-locket. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.
Steamship Historic Society. “From Telegraph to Textual content: How Undersea Cables Join Us All – Steamship Historic Society.” Steamship Historic Society, 20 Jan. 2022, shiphistory.org/2022/01/20/from-telegraph-to-text/. Accessed 16 Jan. 2025.
Tiffany’s Transatlantic Cable Memento , Nationwide Museum of American Historical past, americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1255864. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.
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