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This luckenbooth is a direct copy of a late 18th century Inverness style of heart brooch. The single heart is capped with a ‘bird head’ crown and is set with a chevron to the lower part of the heart. It has an integral swing pin which holds the brooch in place through the tension of clothing material (the latter is pulled through the heart and pierced with the pin). The reverse is stamped ‘CAC’ for Colin Campbell and ‘INS’ for Inverness.
The item comes with an original Colin Campbell box – black with gilt edging and a dual door opening, the white inside lining is stamped in gold with a facetted stone and ‘COLIN CAMPBELL’.
Note: due to the thickness of the pin, this brooch is best worn on wool clothing.
Scottish heart brooches are often referred to as luckenbooths, with the name coming from the locked booths that housed the goldsmithing quarter in Edinburgh next to St Giles Kirk. The hearts are often capped with crowns, such as this example, and many were known to have acted as betrothal and wedding gifts particularly during the eighteenth century. They were also occasionally called witches brooches as they were believed to offer protection against witchcraft.
Dimensions:
Brooch
Length 4.8cm
Width 3cm
Weight 10.7g
Box
Length 9cm
Width 7.5cm
Depth 4cm