Small mourning brooches like this were common in Victorian England in the 1800s. The hand could hold a few different plant arrangements or objects, with different meanings. This holds a roses and forget-me-nots wreath meaning love and a laurel sheaf meaning hope or victory. The brooch was molded from ground horn in metal molds, achieving perfect detail quality. Horn is a natural plastic and workshops for molding and carving it were established in England in the 1300s. It is 6 cm long.