BN-319 Celluloid "Happy"
This 32 inch long necklace slips over your head and features an antique celluloid pendant with the Chinese character for "Happy" prominently displayed. The strand is a mix of onyx, freshwater pearl, glossy black vintage glass components, and pearly Czech glass seed beads (which I've also used to make the tassel).
The strand is 32 inches, but the celluloid pendant and tassel measure another 4 inches themselves.
Celluloid was the first plastic and was used extensively during the victorian period because of it's resemblance to ivory. Everything from the stays in her corset to the hair combs and baubles she decorated herself with could be bought in celluloid by the victorian woman. Horrifyingly it was (and I guess still is) incredibly flammable, and there are documented cases of women getting too close to the fireplace and going up in flames! There's a great series called "Hidden Killers of the Edwardian and Victorian Home" that I highly enjoyed. Everything from electric corsets, to arsenic based face cream! Worth checking out.