Antique Victorian Mourning Necklace Carved Faceted Whitby Jet Beads and Locket

Description

ANTIQUE VICTORIAN WHITBY JET LARGE SIZE LOCKET PENDANT ON CARVED WHITBY JET BEAD NECKLACE.  THE FACETED FRONT PENDANT MEASURES APPROX. 1 1/2" LONG BY 1 1//4" SIDE.  THERE IS A METAL RING SOLIDLY ATTACHED TO THE TOP WITH A FACETED LARGE JET TAPERED BAIL ATTACHED TO THE RING.  THE PAINTED BLACK FINISH ON THE RING IS CHIPPED. THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE PENDANT ITSELF EVEN THOUGH ONE OF THE PICTURES MIGHT APPEAR AS THOUGH THERE IS DAMAGE, THERE IS NONE. THE BACK OF THE PENDANT HAS BEEN HOLLOWED TO ACCOMMODATE A WHITE METAL FRAME FOR A PICTURE.  THERE IS A PAPER IMAGE HELD WITHIN THE FRAME.
THE PENDANT HANGS FROM A 20" STRAND OF GRADUATED HAND CARVED WHITBY JET BEADS.  THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 37 BEADS THAT GRADUATE IN SIZE FROM 9MM TO 19MM.  THERE IS AN UNMARKED OLDER LARGE SPRING RING CATCH.  MOST OF THE BEADS ARE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE THAT HAVE MINOR DAMAGE.  THERE IS ONE BEAD THAT HAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE.  THE BEAD NEXT TO THIS ONE APPEARS TO BE MISSING A PORTION.  I HAVE TRIED TO SHOW THESE BEADS IN THE LAST  PICTURE. THE BEADS COULD USE A GOOD CLEANING. UPON EXAMINING THE ENLARGED PICTURES I HAVE DISCOVERED A CRACK TO ONE OF THE LARGE BEADS NEXT TO THE PENDANT.  i ONLY NOTICED THIS WHEN I LOOKED AT THE PICTURES.  THE CRACK SEEMS STABLE AND DOES NOT GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE BEAD.  I BELIEVE THIS IS FAIRLY COMMON IN THESE OLD JET BEADS.  I MENTIONED THIS FOR CLARITY'S SAKE AS IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T DETRACT FROM THE BEAUTY OF THE PIECE.
ALL IN ALL THIS RARE NECKLACE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION FOR IT'S AGE.  IT IS A TRUE ANTIQUE!
STRANDS OF WHITBY JET BEADS ARE FAIRLY COMMON AND WHITBY JET LOCKETS ARE EVEN LESS COMMON  BUT
A STRAND WITH THE ADDITION OF A LOCKET IS TRULY A RARITY
!
PLEASE EXAMINE ALL THE PICTURES AND ASK QUESTIONS.  I AM HAPPY TO REPLY.