This oval form brooch was a piece of jewelry worn at the neck of a closed blouse during the 1900s. It was carved in America, probably from a cow bone.  
Many of you are familiar with silhouettes which came into favor in the 1850s and are still cut from paper or painted by a few artists in the South Carolina low country.  
I know some of you reading this likely have a silhouette of your children or grandchildren or maybe of yourself.
This sort of imagery remained popular for over 2 generations and was often copied by artists working in other mediums other than paper or pen and ink as is the case with the brooch pictured here.
A talented but ‘home-grown’ artist would \have spent hours carving this image into a piece of ‘found’ material.  Natural materials were what was available as there was no craft store or website for orders. 
With this piece of bone, the real work began in smoothing it until it was suitable to pierce.  This piercing is hard. This is known as incised decoration and done by hand. This is remarkable given the time. Being trained in this would not be ordinary.
The image is like a silhouette, cut totally through to reveal a recognizable person or place.  This iconic scene of buggy, horse, dog and courting couple is as iconic as the live oak tree gracing the top of the image.
This piece was likely given during courtship to recall lovely times spent together in the countryside.  Making this piece would truly have been a labor of love.
This brooch is a treasure. After being artfully crafted, it was set into a solid gold surround featuring a ‘trombone’ clasp. 
When worn, the garment under it shows through, making a pleasing effect assuring the wearer that it ‘goes with everything’. 
Much like a silhouette, the details are not important, yet at a glance there is an instant connection and tug at the heart as memories of the past are revealed once again.
A favorite picnic sandwich from Charleston is perfect for your own country drive.
Remove the crust of fresh white bread and butter one side of each piece lightly using salted butter.
Place a thin slice of Dill Havarti Cheese on 1 slice and a thin slice of roasted ham on the other. Close the sandwich and place in the oven on warm about 10 minutes; just long enough for the cheese to soften.
Remove from the oven and pack individually in wax paper. Place in a basket and cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm.
A grown up version includes capers between the cheese and the ham. 
They taste even better with a glass of fresh made orangeade.