Victorian Vulcanite mourning retailer brooch

A fine Victorian Mourning brooch . Featuring a floral design typical of the victorian fashion at the retailer time. Due to the strict protocol of not expressing emotions between men and women- wishes and thoughts were Instead communicated via an elaborate language based on flower symbolism. Kate Greenaway's Language of Flowers (1884) is the most popular book on this subject.
From about 1860 to 1890, black jewellery was the height of fashion ,black was a stylish color, not just for mourning.

Vulcanite was produced by treating natural or India rubber with sulfur, then exposing it to moderate heat. The resultant material was elastic enough to be fashioned into the desired shape while warm, but became hard and durable once cooled.
Developed by Charles Goodyear (1800–1860) in 1836 and patented by him in 1844, vulcanization revolutionized the rubber industry. Vulcanite was an affordable alternative to the more expensive jet pieces.

This is a very old brooch with the original clasp. supplied in a velvet pouch