Sunflower locket

Fine quality 18 carat gold locket, circa 1840. The obverse is enamelled in black and engraved with sunflowers. Similar sunflower engraving to reverse. In the Victorian language of flowers the sunflower symbolised unwavering love. Clytie, the daughter of the god of the Sea, Oceanus, was so enamoured with the Sun god, Apollo, that she constantly watched his course across the sky. Apollo took pity on her and transformed her into a sunflower which always turns its face towards the sun. Clytie therefore became the symbol of unwavering love. A clever mechanism on the locket unfolds it to reveal four locket compartments within. The locket measures 1.5 inches by 2/3 of an inch and is substantial and immaculate.

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