Jan and John Maggs Antiques

Queen Anne witch's heart brooch

In the late 17th century, various naive types of hearts are found, often in silver.  Witch's heart brooches began as simple silver decorative pins used widely in Scottish folk jewelry of the late 17th century. (Click here to read about the Luckenbooth brooches, which were imported to America in great numbers .) During the 18th century, they became quite popular in England, Europe, and Colonial America, and grew in complexity of design and materials. Most "witch's heart" brooches, usually known for the crook at its tip, take the form of a simple heart, sometimes surmounted by a crown. The earliest of these brooches were plain or chased and engraved silver or gold; other examples were often set with colored pastes or flat-cut garnets set in silver.  These items were quite popular from the late 1600's through the early 1800's. Examples of similarly constructed hearts can be found in  Jewelry in America 1600-1900, by Martha Gandy Fales, page 51, and Jewellery In Britain, by Diana Scarisbrick, page 175.

Silver, clear and colored paste stones, initialed "M  M" on verso.  English in origin, in good condition with a simple C-clasp. Quite wearable today, and while early, it is not delicate. A scarce and entrancing piece, circa 1700. Height is 1", width is 7/8".

Tax Holiday Sale Price: $300

Price: $485

Inventory #17060

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