Bonny wee brooch
I very rarely notice jewellery when I'm charity shopping, but I just had to buy this lovely little vintage Scottish luckenbooth brooch.
Very popular in 17th and 18th century Scotland, luckenbooth brooches are
usually made in silver in variations of hearts and crowns.
They were often given as love tokens and worn
by brides on their wedding day to bring good luck and protect against the evil
eye. Sometimes known as witch-brooches, they were also worn on babies
shawls to ward off evil spirits and ensure the mother’s milk supply.
They are sometimes associated with Mary Queen of Scots and William Shakespeare reputedly owned one.
The
luckenbooths, dating from the reign of James III, were a huddle of buildings
running parallel to St Giles Church (now Cathedral) on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. Luckenbooth meant “lockable booth” and they were stalls which sold all sorts of trinkets and toys and jewellery.
There
was only a narrow footpath between them and the kirk. They were pulled down in 1817 when the Royal
Mile was widened.
Luckenbooth brooches were also exported as trade items
and the Iroquois people in North America were also known to own some and make their own
version.
Hope you enjoyed this wee look at a bit of Scottish history and folklore.
Joining with Let's Talk Vintage.
Love, Liz
Comments
Cheers!
Thank you for sharing this piece of Scotland's history, I am hoping to see more of your country's stunning landscapes in few months time.
Wishing you a wonderful week
They are very interesting, I don't think I have ever seen a Luckenbooth brooch