One of the reasons I enjoy collecting vintage treasures is that the past, viewed through a nostalgic filter, seems far more interesting than the present.
I bought this tiny locket with the intention of refurbishing it with a photo of my son as a gift for his Nanny (maternal). But when I came to slide a blade beneath the carefully cut image I didn't have the heart to prise it out. The invisible bonds of intention and meaning attached by its original owner were not mine to break.
And so he remains a smiling, smart young soldier probably active in World War 2. In the photograph he is wearing a Garrison Side Cap, more commonly known in England as a Field Service Cap, but unfortunately I haven't been able to place rank or regiment.
The Patron Saint of children - Saint Nicholas - adorns the front of the locket whilst the back is stamped with flowers. From this we can deduce the owner was likely a female; sweetheart, sister or mother.
It doesn't feel respectful to replace another mother's son with my own so the Lost Soldier, as I have come to call him, lives on adopted in my jewellery box. He may now be long forgotten but, as the scarce detail from this locket reveals, once lay close to a loved ones heart.
Hannahx
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