This is a little project I've been working on and I thought I would share the process.I have an order for a Caul Locket.A caul is a piece of the amniotic sack that covers a babies face like a veil at birth.It's pretty rare and it was thought that it brought good luck.The caul was scraped from the babies face and preserved.It was often put into a locket like this and given to the baby to wear over his life as a talisman.It was particularly popular with sailors as it was believed that babies born with a caul could not drown. It was also belived that babies born with a caul had the power of forsight. It was also considered bad luck to lose your caul so lockets like this were very common,The one I'm copying is from the 16th Century but the basic style continues well into the 19th Century.I know of several examples from the late 18th Century and the style and construction of the lockets are basically unchanged.
Photo of the original
To make the front of the locket I reforged and filed an existing hammer to produce the necessary 3D shape.The silver was then driven into a Linotype block.
Finished fronts
Backs completed
I've started the hinges
I will post more photo's as I progress!!!!
Mitch Yates
