Foster and Bailey Silver Locket

If you're after special jewelry with a sense of tradition, a Foster and Bailey silver locket is the way to go. A Foster and Bailey locket will let you keep the photos of your loved ones close to your heart in a beautiful, well-made piece of jewelry.

Foster and Bailey was an American silversmith that operated between the years of 1878 and 1898. Prior to that the firm was known as White & Foster, from around 1873 up until 1878. Between 1898 and 1951 the company continued to operate under the name Theodore W. Foster and Bros, however it used the same "F&B Sterling" hallmark on its silver as Foster and Bailey, which can make it difficult to determine when a piece was made. The firm was based in Providence, Rhode Island and made small sterling silver, silver plate and gold items for the home and personal use, such as hair brushes, compacts, hat brushes, hand mirrors, dresser jars, shoe horns and button hooks. The firm also made jewelry, including lockets, brooches, and earrings.

Foster and Bailey's silver items are beautifully ornate, a trait typical of the Victorian era. Victorians loved frilly, fussy, gussied up things - a knick-knack in every available space and swirls and curlicues adorning jewelry and decorative items. This gives the Foster and Bailey silver jewelry a romantic, old-fashioned look desired by many fans of antique jewelry.

Unfortunately, because Foster and Bailey was open for a relatively brief time span so long ago, it is difficult to locate Foster and Bailey silver lockets today. However, the hunt is part of the fun for antiques lovers, and makes the piece all the more valuable to you when it is finally located. With that in mind, you might want to take a look at local antiques shops, antiques malls, and antiques auctions to see if you encounter any Foster and Bailey lockets. Get the word out among dealers in the area that you're looking for this particular item, since they spend a lot of time hunting down antiques and might come across a locket on one of their buying expeditions.

Another option is to regularly monitor online websites that sell antique jewelry so that if a Foster and Bailey locket shows up on one of them you'll be able to snap it up. A few to try are:

• Tias
• Ruby Lane
• Ebay

Good luck!

Finding a Foster and Bailey silver locket is quite a feat, and once you have one you'll want to take proper care of it.

• Do not use abrasive cleaners. Instead, use a liquid or cream cleaner that is made specifically for use on silver, but try to avoid using chemical cleaners too often since they can remove a bit of the silver each time they're used.
• A little tarnish in the nooks and crannies of the piece can give it a pretty, old-fashioned look, so don't worry too much if you can't rid the piece completely of tarnish.
• Store the locket in a tarnish proof bag, available at many jewelry and department stores that sell silver jewelry.
• After the initial cleaning, wipe the locket with a damp cloth about once a month to keep tarnish away.
• The body's natural oils help deter tarnish, so handling and wearing your locket will help to keep it looking its best.

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