Luckenbooths
The term ‘luckenbooth’ is commonly used to describe heart brooches in Scotland. The word refers to the locked booths or shops that formed the goldsmithing and jewellery quarter in Edinburgh’s Old Town, next to St Giles Kirk, where it is believed that many of these brooches were made until the booths were torn down in 1817.
The name ’luckenbooth’, however, was not known to have existed prior to the late 19th century and it has been suggested that it may have been created by Victorian antiquarians and collectors as part of their growing classification of historical objects. There is also the possibility that the sellers of such items concocted the name as a powerful marketing tool, using heritage as part of their sales pitch.
The Luckenbooths, Edinburgh, 19th century drawing by John Sime
The towns of Inverness and Aberdeen were also significant producers of heart brooches during the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Inverness goldsmiths, in particular, created certain designs that could be considered classically Scottish. These include: a crown above the heart (either ‘bird-head’, ‘spectacle’ or ‘flared’ design), small projections which are found at the shoulders and near the base, frequently a chevron style bar (inverted V shape) within the lower portion of the heart, and often a three lobed tip at the bottom.
Heart brooch with 'bird’ crown and projections at the shoulders and base by Medlock & Craik, Inverness, 1956
Heart brooch with two three lobed tips at the bottom and projections at the shoulders and base by Douglas J. Ewing, Edinburgh, 1978
Heart brooch with ‘flared’ crown by Hugh Ross III, Tain, mid-19th century
Heart brooch with ‘spectacle’ crown and lower chevron bar by John Fraser, Inverness, 1985
Many heart brooches have inscriptions that highlight the romantic nature of this jewellery. They are frequently engraved on the reverse with sentimental messages such as: ‘WRONG NOT THE ♥ WHOS JOY THOU ART’ and ‘of all the rest I love best’.
Engraved twin sets of initials are also found which supports the idea that heart brooches were traditionally betrothal gifts or love tokens. Some, however, are engraved with ‘fear god’ and ‘friendship’. It has been said that a small heart brooch pinned to the underside of a child’s petticoat prevented the child from being harmed by witches. Indeed, these brooches are sometimes referred to as witches’ brooches as they could be used as a charm against the evil eye and witchcraft.
Heart brooch engraved ‘God most just is all my trust’, Scottish, c.1720
While heart brooches are not unique to Scotland, they have become deeply associated with this country. They appear to have been a popular form of jewellery which is indicated by the large number that survive. With origins in the medieval period, these brooches have lasted hundreds of years and continue to be made and sold today.
Further Reading
McGill, L. (2022) ‘Scottish heart brooches: a re-evaluation of the luckenbooth’. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 151, 223-234