1813 Swedish flaming heart locket pendant in original fitted box

This rare flaming heart carries a Swedish year mark for 1813. It comes with its original red fitted box. 

The puffy flaming heart locket pendant-checked empty has a hollow compartment which can be revealed by pulling up the flame-shaped plug. The glass frame on the front can also be opened carefully by hand or with a tool for it has a very tight latch, which has probably never been used. This locket pendant is a perfect holder for photos, keepsakes, fabric, or a tiny posy of dried flowers. 

Around the front locket is decorated with hand-engraved floral and foliate motifs, while the back is a shield-shaped pattern that can be fulfilled with the owner's initials.

The condition of the pendant is very impressive for a piece that's over 200 years old. Probably spent most time resting in its red fitted box, it only shows very minor dents and scuffs to the surface.

This pendant is actually a kind of ex voto.  An ex-voto is a votive offering to a saint or to a divinity. It is given in fulfillment of a vow or in gratitude or devotion. They have been used for hundreds of years. Mostly found in the Italian countryside, where people would order pewter prayers in various shapes (hearts, body parts, babies, animals, etc.) and place them at the feet of statues of saints or divinities. For example, a heart may be a prayer for true love or to show one's sincere devotion to god, a foot may be for a sooner recovery of one's injury, and a baby may be a wish for smooth delivery. Among all examples, one of the cutest we have seen is a custom-made cat wishing the lost cat to return to the owner as soon as possible.

The Flaming Heart ornament is a religious symbol commonly found in Roman Catholic countries and is often used as a token for believers to return their wishes to God.
The cult of the Flaming Heart (Sacred Heart) can be traced to the 11th century. But it only gained popularity in the 17th century when a French nun, Marguerite-Marie Alacoque, experienced visions of Jesus Christ, in which he spoke to her and showed her his heart, entwined with thorns and flames, symbolizing all the suffering in the world. Since then, the symbol of the Sacred Heart became a popular emblem worn in the religion. Not only as a token for the believers, but also as jewelry. The wearer is protected by Jesus against danger, disease, and all calamities.

As the assessment of an item's condition is highly subjective, please click and enlarge our photos to examine more detailed condition highlights for your judgment.

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