1902 Human Hair Pocket Watch Chain with Odd Fellows Locket Fob

Contrary to popular belief, hair jewelry was not always mourning jewelry. Sometimes these intricately woven pieces were created as love tokens from sweethearts, family members and cherished friends as a way to feel closer to the other. It also was worn merely as fashion since hair jewelry was in vogue during the Victorian era.

Gaining in popularity during the Civil War, hair work was an affordable and common at-home drawing room past time, much like knitting. Patterns and templates were widely available in newspapers, fashion magazines and periodicals. Many young women earned a living making hair jewelry at home.

For those less skilled or crafty, hair jewelry also could be purchased through catalogs or from jewelry stores. All one had to do was decide which piece they would like to have created and then send off a lock of hair to have it transformed into the piece of their dreams. 

Traditionally, there were two different types of hair work techniques: table-worked hair and palette-worked hair. 

Table-worked hair involved the use of a small, flat braiding table (a top hat or bandbox would suffice in a pinch) with a small finger-sized hole cut into the middle and small leaded weights. Hair was then plaited and woven into a tube-like shape using a number of intricate patterns and knots. From there, these woven tubes of hair would be made into jewelry.

This pocket watch chain is an excellent example of table-worked hair. It features two different weave patterns, which add interest to the piece. The hair features a gold filled centerpiece decorated with seed pearls and ruby glass. Dangling from the center is a wonderful gold-filled locket. 

This particular locket was made for the International Order of the Odd Fellows and has their three-chain emblem on the front representing Friendship, Love and Truth. The locket is engraved on the back with the initials J. K. and the date 1902.