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This vintage heart brooch has two interlocking hearts surmounted with a crown. It is set with a central oval facetted amethyst in a claw setting. The reverse has a hinged steel pin and c-scroll safety clasp and is marked ‘DJE’ for Douglas J. Ewing together with Edinburgh hallmarks for sterling silver and the year 1970.
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:
Height 3.8cm
Width 3.7cm
Weight 7.1g