A gold locket containing the hair of Admiral Lord Nelson and his mistress Lady Emma Hamilton which was made around the time they began their affair is being auctioned.
The locket commemorates the 1798 Battle of the Nile, during which the Royal Navy destroyed the French Navy - not for the first time and not for the last.
The pendant is just 2.7 inches high. One side contains a lock of Nelson's hair and the other side contains a lock of Emma Hamilton's hair.
The pair first met in 1793 and began an affair in 1798, despite battle-scarred Nelson having just one arm and almost no teeth. The affair scandalised Britain because Emma, who was born Amy Lyon, was married to Sir William Hamilton, British Envoy to Naples, and Nelson was married to Frances Nisbet.
After Nelson's heroic death at Trafalgar in 1805, Emma slipped into poverty and turned to drink. She died in 1815 in, ironically, France.
The pendant is expected to fetch £5000 at auction in Wiltshire.
Locket of love: Gold pendant containing locks of hair from Admiral Nelson and his lover are discovered
By Daily Mail Reporter
26th January 2011
Daily Mail
An incredible gold locket containing the hair of Admiral Lord Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton that was made in the year they began their affair is to be auctioned.
The hugely important piece, which was unknown to experts, commemorates the Battle of the Nile and is dated on the first day of that epic encounter on August 1, 1798.
Within a month, Nelson and Lady Emma fell in love and began an affair that was to scandalise society because both were married.
His and hers: Locks of hair from Lord Nelson and his lover Lady Emma Hamilton in the gold locket which is to be auctioned in Wiltshire later this month
The pendant - made in the year following the battle in which the British navy routed the French - is just 2.7 inches high.
It contains two locks of hair, one on each side, and has an 'N' on the front - which stands for 'Nelson'.
There are pearls included - some of which are in the shape of an anchor - an arrow signifying love and a laurel wreath signifying victory.
Nelson's sandy-coloured hair is arranged around the inscription and Emma's darker lock is arranged on the reverse.
The pendant has come from Australia to an auction house in Wiltshire where it is expected to be sold on January 27 for more than £5,000.
Lovers: Portraits of Admiral Nelson and Lady Hamilton who scandalised society with their affair because both were married
Experts who have studied it are convinced it is genuine and is a token from one of the world's most famous love affairs.
Jonathan Edwards from Woolley and Wallis auction house in Salisbury said: 'This is potentially a very important piece.
'We are sure as we can be that it is right and we've had experts look at it and they agree.
'Oddly, it came from Australia and the family who owned it had relatives in Portsmouth and it was through them that we got it.
'It really is a beautiful thing that is more likely to have been worn by a woman.'
Nelson first met Lady Hamilton in 1793 then fatefully again in 1798. He was friendly with her husband and they created an odd menage à trois.
After Nelson's heroic death at Trafalgar in 1805, Emma slipped into poverty and turned to drink. The couple's daughter Horatia had ten children.
dailymail.co.uk
The locket commemorates the 1798 Battle of the Nile, during which the Royal Navy destroyed the French Navy - not for the first time and not for the last.
The pendant is just 2.7 inches high. One side contains a lock of Nelson's hair and the other side contains a lock of Emma Hamilton's hair.
The pair first met in 1793 and began an affair in 1798, despite battle-scarred Nelson having just one arm and almost no teeth. The affair scandalised Britain because Emma, who was born Amy Lyon, was married to Sir William Hamilton, British Envoy to Naples, and Nelson was married to Frances Nisbet.
After Nelson's heroic death at Trafalgar in 1805, Emma slipped into poverty and turned to drink. She died in 1815 in, ironically, France.
The pendant is expected to fetch £5000 at auction in Wiltshire.
Locket of love: Gold pendant containing locks of hair from Admiral Nelson and his lover are discovered
By Daily Mail Reporter
26th January 2011
Daily Mail
An incredible gold locket containing the hair of Admiral Lord Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton that was made in the year they began their affair is to be auctioned.
The hugely important piece, which was unknown to experts, commemorates the Battle of the Nile and is dated on the first day of that epic encounter on August 1, 1798.
Within a month, Nelson and Lady Emma fell in love and began an affair that was to scandalise society because both were married.
His and hers: Locks of hair from Lord Nelson and his lover Lady Emma Hamilton in the gold locket which is to be auctioned in Wiltshire later this month
The pendant - made in the year following the battle in which the British navy routed the French - is just 2.7 inches high.
It contains two locks of hair, one on each side, and has an 'N' on the front - which stands for 'Nelson'.
There are pearls included - some of which are in the shape of an anchor - an arrow signifying love and a laurel wreath signifying victory.
Nelson's sandy-coloured hair is arranged around the inscription and Emma's darker lock is arranged on the reverse.
The pendant has come from Australia to an auction house in Wiltshire where it is expected to be sold on January 27 for more than £5,000.
Lovers: Portraits of Admiral Nelson and Lady Hamilton who scandalised society with their affair because both were married
Experts who have studied it are convinced it is genuine and is a token from one of the world's most famous love affairs.
Jonathan Edwards from Woolley and Wallis auction house in Salisbury said: 'This is potentially a very important piece.
'We are sure as we can be that it is right and we've had experts look at it and they agree.
'Oddly, it came from Australia and the family who owned it had relatives in Portsmouth and it was through them that we got it.
'It really is a beautiful thing that is more likely to have been worn by a woman.'
Nelson first met Lady Hamilton in 1793 then fatefully again in 1798. He was friendly with her husband and they created an odd menage à trois.
After Nelson's heroic death at Trafalgar in 1805, Emma slipped into poverty and turned to drink. The couple's daughter Horatia had ten children.
dailymail.co.uk
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