Antique Bedford 1/20 12k Yellow Gold Filled Conch Shell Cameo Photo Locket Pendant.

The maker of your pendant is the Bedford Jewelry Company. (sometimes marked as Bedford & Co. or simply Bedford).

• The Company: Bedford was an American manufacturer of gold-filled and sterling silver jewelry, known for producing lockets, charms, and sweetheart pins from the 1920s through the 1950s.

• The Hallmark: The 1/20 12k Gold Filled (GF) hallmark means that 12-karat gold is mechanically bonded to a base metal. By total weight, the gold layer accounts for exactly, L (or 5%) of the pendant.

• The Design: Book-shaped lockets that hold two pictures were extremely popular in the 1940s and 1950s, often worn to keep pictures of loved ones close to the heart.

This locket could use a good cleaning. I leave this to the new owners. Personally, since this item is very unique. I would probably have a professional clean it just to be safe. Please see pictures for more details as they are also part of the description.