Suffragette was a term coined by the British press in 1906. When applied to jewelry it is used to describe pieces that were worn to voice political opinion and advocate womens rights.
Significance
For years, people have used many different methods to voice their political opinions, including clothes and hair. It is commonly believed that Suffragette jewelry was a way for individuals to display that they felt women should have the right to vote.
Misconceptions
According to the Antiques Journal, there is a widely propagated myth that suffragette jewelry existed during a time when women were disenfranchised. The myth states that the jewelry was used to alert others to the fact that women wanted their voting rights.
Identification
Suffragette jewelry in Britain was made of purple, white and green semi-precious stones. These colors were symbolic. For example, green represented hope, purple represented dignity and the white symbolized purity.
Considerations
It should be noted that suffragists did issue badges, medallions and medals to denote membership.
Warning
Individuals should be cautious when purchasing suffragette jewelry. An increased price on these jewelry pieces may be inflated.
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