SOLD Antique Sterling Silver, Agate & Paste Wishbone & Thistle Brooch

Queen Victoria came to Scotland in 1842 for a summer holiday. Right away, she fell in love with the beauty of the country and its people, and continued to visit until her death. She called it her "beloved Scotland, the proudest, finest country in the world." This attachment to the country made it a very popular tourist destination for all of her subjects and a craze for everything Scottish bloomed. Tartans, lace, sweaters and linen were snapped up by Victorians eager to travel in the style of the monarch. Jewelry was a favorite souvenir, with agate brooches or kilt pins at the forefront. 

By the time our brooch was produced, the savvy jewelers of Birmingham, England were also making pieces in the Scottish style. Crafted in silver, with inlays of agate and jasper, this kilt pin has been fashioned in the shape of a wishbone, a symbol of luck and good wishes. The thistle is the flower of Scotland which symbolizes strength, protection and pride. The pinkish purple bloom is associated with royalty. In this example, a paste amethyst has been used. A wonderful little piece, perfect for the Autumn fashion palette and certainly interchangeable for any sex, we have named him after a Scotsman, John Brown, in honor of Her Majesty's faithful servant.

Circa 1911

Details (approximate)

Dimensions: 1 5/8"

Weight: 4.55 grams

Materials: Sterling Silver, Agate, Paste

Marks: A &LL, Sterling Lion, Birmingham Anchor, m (1911)

Condition: Excellent Antique condition commensurate with age and wear