Looking through old family photographs with my cousin Kathy, we came across a picture of our grandparents, Gilbert and Beatrice Bates.
The photograph dates to around 1910. It was probably taken in a professional studio.
Kathy remarked that she had the locket that Beatrice was wearing in the photograph. She brought out a really nice piece of vintage jewelry.
Seen together, the vintage photograph and locket make a good topic for an article.
The Locket Case
Photo by Kathy.
Photo by Kathy.
The pendant is approximately 1 5/16 inches and slightly over 3/16 inch thick. The chain is 18 inches long and the hidden clasp is the second large ring above the locket where the ends of the chain join.
The locket cover has an elegant engraved pattern, mostly likely from the manufacturer. The back is engraved with Beatrice’s monogram, BEB (initials for Beatrice Emerald Bates). Monograms were typically engraved by a local jeweler when the locket was purchased.
So What’s Inside?
Inside the locket are pictures of Gilbert inside the front cover and Beatrice on the opposing side. Interestingly, it looks like the pictures of the couple were clipped from a copy of the photograph at the top of this article. There’s no way to tell what was inside when the photo was taken.
The pictures are positioned so that they are right side up when the wearer is looking down at the open locket.
A Hidden Photo
Kathy discovered that hidden beneath the photo of Beatrice was a picture of their first three sons. Clockwise from the top are Clarence Frederick (08 Oct 1909), Clifford Glenn(03 Jul 1911), and Edgar Lewis (17 Sep 1913) – my father.
My daughter noticed that Dad’s picture was much smaller than the other two. Close inspection revealed that it had been cut from a different picture and pasted onto this one. It closely matches photos from ages 8-10 months in his baby book.
Who Manufactured the Locket?
Underneath Gilbert’s photo is a raised manufacture’s symbol, a heart with W & H CO within and 1/4 GOLD SHELL below.
This was the symbol of Wightman and Hough Company (1850-1922) of Providence, Rhode Island. Their slogan was “There’s a heart in every locket”.
Manufacturer Advertisement
Here’s a Wightman & Hough Co. newspaper advertisement from 1912. Although not the exact design as Beatrice’s locket, the description still applies, and there’s the logo and slogan at the bottom.
A Word of Thanks
Special thanks my cousin, Kathy Bates-Lande for the inspiration for this article, some of the photos, and just for being there.
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