John Hart silver is quite sought after these days. He was a silversmith making jewellery in the Celtic manner during the 1950s, 1960s an 1970s.  Here are two piece of scottish silver jewellery with the JH makers mark which are particulary interesting as they retain their original boxes and information cards.

The Luckenbooth Pendant

This is a very lovely Scottish Luckenbooth pendant set with a central real amethyst. Here is what the information card has to day about the Luckenbooth:

” The Luckenbooth design is probably the most romantic in the history of Silver-smithing in Scotland. Said to have been designed as the betrothal brooch for Mary Queen of Scots from the Dauphin of France whom she married in 1558 hence the two hearts surmounted by the crown, the name derives from the “locked Booths” near St Giles in Edinburgh where the design was coppied and sold for betrothal ( brooches were given instead of rings in those days) and later, when pinned to the baby’s shawl the Luckenbooth gave the child protection from Evil Spirits, Deamons and Wicked Faeries”

The Celtic Interlacing Brooch

This Celtic Interlacing brooch is set with a real citrine. It is an excelent example of the type of Scottish silver jewellery sought after by collectors of Vintage Brooches . The information card reads:

“Celtic Interlacing. The over and under twisting of two cords is the basis of all Celtic design. The teachers of Old wanted to show that Man did not have a life on Earth alone and a new beginning in Eternity but that God sends his Eternal Spirit to help in this life , and the two are forever entwined with no beginning and no ending”

 

For those of you interested in collecting John Hart Silver jewellery you could look for this makers mark allong side a full set of Scottish silver hallmarks: