Undated (ca. 1865) Abraham Lincoln Mourning Fob. Carnelian and Gold. Nearly As Made.
35.3 mm x 27.3 mm overall; carnelian spinner 22.0 mm in diameter and 5.2 mm thick. An exceptional, French-made piece of mourning jewelry bearing the tiny eagle-head guarantee mark of French goldsmiths on the small suspension loop. No other marks are evident. The gold frame is very gently bent, being a skeletonized form a bit more fragile than it would have been if solid. The etched carnelian, bearing a deeply incuse portrait of Lincoln and his name around on one side, shows no handling flaws, and is finely finished with pronounced bevels around both sides. The back is plain. Upon first look, the spinner appears as black glass appropriate for a piece of Victorian-era mourning jewelry, but upon raising it to the light it glows in vivid blood red. A handsome piece, likely rare - perhaps even a one-off - and as a memorial to the beloved Lincoln, it is among a class of objects very highly prized by collectors.
From the Richard August Collection.

Estimate: $1500