Vintage Luckenbooth by Douglas J. Ewing, Edinburgh

A vintage double heart brooch surmounted with a crown. The reverse has a hinged pin and c-scroll safety clasp and is marked ‘DJE’,  with Edinburgh hallmarks for 9ct gold and 1978.

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 4.5cm

Width 3.7cm

Weight 8.5g