Early 20th Century English Whitby Jet Phallus

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Early 20th Century English Whitby Jet Phallus

About the Item

We are proud to offer one of the most unusual and unique items that we have in our store. This Phallus symbol is made from hand carved Whitby Jet. The item speaks for itself in all fairness and apart from a deep patination across this item, it’s a complete one off and very rare curio item as I’m sure you will agree. We recently obtained this item from a private collection of Victorian medical items, one thing is for sure, you wont ever find another example like it. Whitby Jet History Unlike most gemstones, Whitby Jet is organic and is naturally formed from fossilised wood. Like our present-day Monkey Puzzle or Araucaria Tree, Prehistoric wood gets washed up into a body of water and becomes covered by organic sediment. The pressure of the water and sediment over millions of years compacts the wood and slowly transforms it into what we know as Whitby Jet stone today. The color of Whitby Jet is truly unique, boasting a deep blackness so intense that the expression ‘jet black’ or ‘as black as jet’ derives from the color of the stone. It has a smooth and very lightweight appeal making it an excellent choice for jewelry. Its smoothness allows it to take on an extremely high polish to the extent that is could even be used a mirror. Meanwhile, its weightlessness makes it comfortable to wear around the neck, on the wrist or hanging elegantly from the ears. During the 1800s and with new rail links to Whitby, the town became a popular seaside holiday destination for early Victorians. During their visit, a souvenir piece of Whitby Jet was a must, particularly Whitby Jet jewelry. As the century progressed, fashions were beginning to change, and clothing became heavier and more voluminous, in particular, crinolines of the times became fuller in design and required larger, more eye-catching jewellery to match. Whitby Jet’s lightweight characteristic made it the perfect gemstone to adorn large accessories, allowing even the largest of necklaces and earrings to be worn in comfort. In 1851, Whitby Jet was exhibited for the first time at the Great Exhibition in London. Soon after, it became coveted by a number of high profile royals including the Queen of Bavaria and the Empress of France. However, Whitby Jet's most prolific patron was to be Queen Victoria. When Price Albert died in 1861, Queen Victoria took to wearing Whitby Jet jewelry in remembrance of him, quickly making it the etiquette to accessorise the period's mourning dress with jewelry made from the gemstone. Queen Victoria valued the gemstone so that the only jewelry allowed to be worn in court during this period was Whitby Jet. It was at this time that James Storr established his very own Whitby Jet jewelry boutique and W Hamond first opened its doors to the many fashionable ladies and gentlemen of the period. Size in inches approx.- H 10.5” x W 2” x D 0.2” Condition: These items are completely solid in structure and form. Its strongly suggested to review all the photos provided carefully and propose any questions where details are unclear before a purchase is made.

Dimensions:
Height: 10.5 in (26.67 cm)Width: 2 in (5.08 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
Style:
Victorian (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Natural Fiber,Hand-Carved
Place of Origin:
United Kingdom
Period:
1900-1909
Date of Manufacture:
1900
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU4304216306001