Large gold locket with mirror, engraved "Schumann-Heink" and dated 1926

How often do we wish that an antique piece of jewellery could talk, to reveal its history? The closest to fulfilling this wish are pieces of jewellery with engraving, which in the best case tell us something about their first owners, the givers and their lives. This locket, for example, bears the monogram engraving "TG" on the front, the name "Grandmother Schumann-Heink" and the date "15.VI.26" on the back. Possibly the locket was a gift from the grandmother to T.G. and the date a birthday or other special occasion for which it was given. The only person who, according to our research, bore the name Schumann-Heink at the time indicated and could have been a grandmother was the opera singer Ernestine Schumann-Heink - her unusual double name came about through divorce from her first husband and remarriage. Beginning in Dresden in 1878, Schumann-Heink had a long and successful career as an alto. Throughout her illustrious career she performed with Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss, among others. In 1908 she became a U.S. citizen and continued her career at institutions such as the Metropolitan Opera in New York. From 1926 until her death ten years later, U.S. radio broadcast 'Silent Night' sung by Schumann-Heink every Christmas. Some of her sound recordings have survived to this day. Schumann-Heink undoubtedly possessed the financial means to make a precious gift such as this. She also liked to wear jewellery herself, as surviving photographs prove. The large locket is made of solid gold and decorated with rich ornamentation. Two midnight blue sapphire cabochons and a tassel of gold chains and pearls add accents. Inside, the locket has a mirror and a hollow interior, so a small letter or other secret could be hidden here. The design is consistent with 1920s Art Deco, especially as it was popular in the United States; the design would be unusual for a German-made locket. Déco designs with tassle pendants were published in the US magazine The Jeweler's Circular around 1922 (see last illustration).

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