Is this silver?

[uksweetheart]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help with this query please. I have a locket. I've been told it's called a mourning locket for obvious reasons. It is so tiny just over ½" long with pansies engraved on the front and on the back it says "925MM W.Germany" please look at the attached pics. \if at all possible I would love to know about any history for it but most of all is 925 "real" silver or just German silver that is not silver at all, but an alloy of nickel, copper, and zinc?. Thank you

[JLDoggett]

It is marked as sterling (925). MM is the maker's mark. Made in W.Germany so it was made between 1948 and 1982(?). I would just call it a locket. Mourning lockets typically have areas for adding hair of the one who passed amd this doesn't appear to be set up for that.

[silverly]

It may just be my eyes, but it looks like there is hair in the locket. Hopefully, someone will know who the German maker or manufacturer is.

[Luci]

Germany has been divided in 1949 and has been reunited in 1990.
Possibly the locket is made in Pforzheim (or Schwäbisch Gmünd). Pforzheim has Germany's biggest manufactory for jewelry.

[JLDoggett]

Silverly, that would be a piece of either grosgrain ribbon glued to a paper backing or embossed paper. Both were used as lining paper in lockets.

[silverly]

JLDoggett, thanks; that makes sense. The hair workers did wonders, but I never seen hair jewelry that was as modern as this piece is.