A bit about Bog Oak

From my postbag:

How about  Bog Oak?  I have a brooch that I think is.  I’m not sure.  Can you tell me a little about it?  And maybe how to tell if bog oak is the material?

My Reply:

 

Bog Oak was popular in Victorian  Antique Jewellery  especially for a mourning piece. It was easier to find and work than Jet but cannot be polished as highly and the shapes achieved are much simpler. So Bog Oak jewas cheaper as the finished article. Bog oak jewellery remains cheaper than jet jewellery today. Bog Oak is the wood of Oak Trees that has long since fallen into peat bogs in Ireland and been preserved and become black in colour. You will often see it carved with Shamrock patterns and occasionally set with pearls.

How can you tell if it is bog oak?  It is matt in appearance ( unlike jet which tens to be highly polished) and you can see a wood grain if you look carefully. None of the other materials popular in Victorian Mourning jewellery has the wood grain. Please take care not to get this material wet – just clean with a soft dry brush.