A Token of Love

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! I am feeling the love today at the museum after finding these beautiful Luckenbooth brooches in our collection. Below is just a selection of our wonderful brooches.

Our collection of brooches, dating between the 17th to the early 20th century, were donated by Dr McAldowie of Cheltenham in 1894.

The Lukenbooth brooch is a highly appropriate object for this day, as it is a traditional Scottish token of love given to couples who were going to be wed. Lunckenbooth brooches as you can see from our selection are traditionally in the shape of a heart, and gained their name in the 18^th century from the place they were sold- the locked booths of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile jewellery shops.

As well as being a love token these brooches were also ‘worn to keep off ill-e’e’, in other words they were used to ward off the evil eye and to protect the wearer.

This dual purpose would make them a lovely Valentine’s Day present, as it both demonstrates your feelings and protects the one you love!