Iona Luckenbooth Silver Amethyst Bracelet by John Hart - Vintage 1950s/1960s

1950s or 1960s vintage silver Luckenbooth bracelet made by John Hart Snr. and stamped with his mark "J" superimposed upon H"" and "silver Iona" to each of the 4 Luckenbooth sections, interspersed are 3 circular rim set amethyst. The name Luckenbooth originated from the locking booths that where close to the Cathedral and on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, in the 1700s. There are lots of stories and old beliefs to go with Luckenbooth brooches, some that come to mind are, protection for children from witches and the evil eye; a traditional love or betrothal token; one supposedly given by Mary Queen of Scots to her lover Lord Darnley and some fancy that the crown to the brooch was instigated by the Queen as a stylised "M" for Mary. John Hart made an extensive range of silver jewellery, nearly all of it Scottish themed, in Scotland and worked in the period early 1950s to the mid 1980s.