A charming Victorian love token with a fascinating second life, this delicate sterling silver horizontal bar necklace began as a sweetheart brooch and is fully hallmarked for Birmingham 1898.
The curved bar is beautifully decorated with a horseshoe nestled amongst roses and ivy, a trio of motifs rich in meaning to the Victorians. The horseshoe symbolised luck and protection, roses represented love and affection, while ivy spoke of loyalty and enduring attachment. Together they created a powerful message of love, happiness and lasting commitment.
Horseshoes held a special place in English wedding traditions and were often carried by brides to bestow good fortune upon the marriage. In the same vein, jewellery incorporating these motifs became popular romantic gifts and wedding keepsakes.
The original brooch has been thoughtfully converted into a necklace using an antique sterling silver peanut-link chain attached by S-shaped rings. The conversion has been carried out sympathetically, preserving the character and history of the piece while creating a unique necklace ready to be enjoyed once again.
Steeped in Victorian sentiment and symbolism, this is a wonderful piece for lovers of antique jewellery, a meaningful bridal gift, or for anyone drawn to jewellery with a story to tell.
DETAILS:
METAL: Sterling silver throughout
LENGTH: 46cm (18 inches). We can shorten the chain on request.
CENTRE SECTION: 5cm (2 inches)
HALLMARKS: stamped 'lion passant' for sterling, 'anchor' assay for Birmingham, date letter 'Y' for 1898 and makers mark 'RJT'
WEIGHT: 3.1 grams
ERA: dated 1898, Victorian
CONDITION: Very good antique condition. Light surface wear commensurate with age and use, together with gentle evidence of the conversion, including minor tooling marks visible to the reverse.
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At Mercy Madge we offer quality antique and vintage jewellery sourced in Great Britain. All of our pieces are professionally cleaned and polished so they are ready to wear and enjoy or give as a gift.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
* Free worldwide shipping on all purchases.
* Returns - you can return your item for a refund for any reason. Just get in touch within 3 days of receiving your order and return it within 7 days.
* All gemstones have been tested and verified using a Presidium Gemstone Tester. All measurements and carat weights given are approximations.
* Our photographs have been taken in extreme close up to show you every tiny detail. This often means that any flaws or damage which you can see on the photos will be invisible when viewed normally with the eye. This can also mean that the item can appear larger on the screen than it is in person, so please be sure to read our written description to double check all sizes and dimensions.
* Buying a gift? – your item will arrive gift wrapped in a custom Mercy Madge jewellery box. Please note, unless otherwise stated antique boxes in our photos are for display only and are not included in the purchase.
