Beautiful antique French photo locket by ORIA, crafted in gold-filled / rolled gold, dating from the early 20th century.
This charming round locket features the same finely detailed embossed decoration on both sides: a basket overflowing with flowers and foliage, suspended from an elegant tied ribbon bow.
Its romantic floral decoration is wonderfully characteristic of the sentimental jewellery of the Belle Époque and early 20th century.
The locket opens into two sections with a small side hinge. Traditionally, this type of intimate and sentimental jewellery was designed to hold small photographs of loved ones, but it could also preserve a lock of hair or another tiny personal keepsake.
Worn close to the heart, these lockets allowed their owners to keep the memory of someone special always nearby. This touching tradition gives antique French keepsake and remembrance lockets much of their charm today.
Measurements:
Diameter: 26 mm
Thickness: 6.6 mm
Material: gold-filled / rolled gold
Maker: ORIA
Estimated date: circa 1900-1920
Origin: France
Beautiful antique condition with an attractive warm gold colour and remarkably well-preserved floral details. Minor signs of age are consistent with an authentic antique piece.
A little history of ORIA
ORIA was a French jewellery maker specialising in gold-filled and rolled-gold jewellery during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The company is generally believed to have been established around 1897.
ORIA produced elegant jewellery offering the appearance and warmth of gold while remaining more accessible than solid-gold pieces. The company gained considerable recognition and received several awards during the 1920s and early 1930s.
Today, antique ORIA pieces are charming examples of early 20th-century French jewellery, combining decorative craftsmanship with the sentimental traditions of their period.
