Raising Hairs

 

Victorian Hair Art

I wanted to share a blast from the past today, Victorian Mourning hair art from a class that I took in 2014 at the Museum of Shenandoah Valley.  Yes, that my hair and some poor horse that donated his hair. It is a shame the classes at the museum do not exist on this level currently. I made so many wonderful items over the years, like a cigar box diddle bow, cold frame, and even my first quilt block. 

This post was inspired by a discussion with Judy Crim. I am pretty sure she will not be loaning me her hair. Here are some of the Hair art that was on display at the class. Many dating back to 1850.

This next piece was my favorite and you can't tell in the photo but the shades of auburn hair were rather amazing!

 

The Victorian era, spanning Queen Victoria’s reign from 1837 to 1901, was marked by a heightened preoccupation with death, grief, and remembrance. This wasn’t just a cultural undercurrent—it was a full-blown aesthetic. Mourning rituals were rigidly structured, and one of the most intriguing and personal expressions of grief came in the form of mourning jewelry and hair art.

These objects weren’t just sentimental keepsakes. They were wearable symbols of loss, love, and the permanence of memory in the face of death’s finality.

I mean let’s face it we will die one day!