Singer Jill Scott considers hair to be "an accoutrement. Hair is jewellery. It's an accessory" and the Victorians agreed, combining the two to create something special.

Antique dealer Bill Lowe, who owns SJ's City Cash in Brisbane Street, Launceston, has amassed a collection of Victorian jewellery, with certain pieces displaying hair incorporated into the design.

"I have quite a range of antique jewellery," Mr Lowe said.

"I have three pieces of sentimental Victorian jewellery that are based around decorative hair design and locket type compartments for the storage of human hair or photographs," Mr Lowe said.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Hair jewellery was produced as a memento, but not necessarily for the purpose of mourning.

The mourning connection is a common misconception, Mr Lowe said, but the pieces represent "symbolism and workmanship that is no longer prevalent in today's society".

"Most people associate hair jewellery with mourning and death, however two of the three pieces I have were made for either betrothal, or simply to carry the image of a loved one," he said.

"A locket with hair inside is sentimental and means nothing about death.

"Victorians were very sentimental and they used symbolism quite a lot. Much of the jewellery produced has meaning."

Mr Lowe said many collectors specifically asked for hair, or mourning, jewellery, which he often exhibited at antique fairs.

Antique jewellery writer Hayden Peters said hair was used in jewellery and art in Switzerland, England, France, Prussia, America and Australia.

Napoleonic War prisoners bought their hair art skills and knowledge of hair working with them to England in the early 1800s.

"Their skills were influential to the growth of the hair working industry, as the focus was applying the material to weaving in jewellery," Mr Peters said.

William Holford and Charles Young created hair work jewels and art and published the book Jewellers Book of Patterns of Hair Work in 1864.

This jewellery featured mourning symbols depicting willow trees, skulls, scythes, anchors, hearts, padlocks, yews and graveyards, which takes "the history of mourning symbolism and standardised its essential iconography to be what we identify today", Mr Peters said.

While you're with us, did you know you can now sign up to receive updates direct to your inbox?