According to Helen Muller, in her little book Jet Jewellery and Ornaments - a Shire Publication: Jet is a type of brown coal, a fossilised wood of an ancient tree..... Jet is very light in weight. It breaks with a conchoidal (shell-like ) fracture and burns with a smell of burning coal. It is found throughout the world .... but there is no doubt in the minds of Yorkshiremen that the best hard jet comes from around Whitby. (North East England).
Imitations of Jet include coal, bog oak and man-made vulcanite, Bakelite and black glass. The important thing to remember is that while all jet jewellery is hand carved, vulcanite and plastics can be moulded. The French produced a black glass known as French Jet, which was mass produced and very cheap. There is no difficulty in identifying French Jet. Glass is cold to the touch, heavier and harder than jet. It cannot be scratched with a pin and a hot needle has no effect.... End of quotes. I have a family brooch in Whitby Jet. My great grandmother Mary Emberton who lived near Whitby, Yorkshire, was married to William Stonehouse who died at the age of 42. The brooch has a glass inset for a curl of memorial hair and an inscription on the front. Jet was very popular in the 19th century from the 1860's onwards, not only for mourning brooches but for fashionable jewellery. Angela Thompson in a very wet Worcestershire UK [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace-chat [EMAIL PROTECTED]
