Posted by mauriz on October 19, 2014, 8:53 am, in reply to "Re: Jet"
Beth, you hit the nail right on the head: jet doesn't sparkle, which was one of the main requirements for mourning attire, even in times when jet was not yet fashionable for mourning jewellery. There were numerous regulations for accessories which are usually made from shimmering metals to be blackened, sabres for example, as the following "Hof-Trauer-Reglement" (Court Mourning Regulations) for the court in Brunswick from 1768 shows.
On six pages the regulations for seven classes of court mourning were stipulated, surprisingly none of them explicitly regarding jewellery, although the ladies were obliged to wear blackened buckles on their shoes: