I love the little antique pins/lockets for reuse, but I hesitate to purchase them , because I worry it is disrespectful, or spiritually unwise to disturb the contents, for fear of spirits and haunting.
Although this custom is 150 yrs old and outdated, the jewelry themselves is lovely, but the names of dead and their woven hair is placed inside a small compartment I wish to use as a locket with the living!
Does anyone know or have experience with reusing these mourning lockets and pins?? I can respectfully say prayer for named, but is there proper ritual for disposing of the old hair? Is it bad luck? ]Any superstitions common to disturbing these pieces?? PLEASE Help! I would hate to mistakingly do something or give as gift and have bad luck follow..

I am not superstitious but would be uncomfortable removing the little bit of hair inside of those trinkets that meant so much to someone. Queen Victoria started this custom (along with some rather unspleasant ones, one being a plaster cast of his hand that she slept with)after Albert died. She continued to be in mourning for him until her death. She was, after all the longest reigning monarch of the British Commonwealth.

I will do a search for you and try to come up with some way of disposing of the valued lock of hair without creating disrespect in the spirit world (if that is what it would be called at this point). I know what you mean.

Those trinkets are actually more valuable with the lock of hair inside. They wove picture frames of locks of hair as well.