<
in the form of a heart in impressed silver, depicting the god of love Cupid pulling back an arrow in his bow ready to fire, surrounded by the motto “TAKE THIS IN PART WITH IT MY HART”, the reverse hand engraved with the motto “Let vertue be a guide to thee” above a foliate motif.
Length: 2.5cm
A closely comparable silver love locket decorated with Cupid within a heart can be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum (Museum No.: M.3-1958).
The motto ‘Let vertue be a guide to thee” is recorded in Joan Evans’ ‘English Posies and Posy Rings’ and appears on a posy ring in the British Museum. A similar motto of ‘Take this in part of a true heart’ is recorded by Evans.