A MID TO LATE 18TH CENTURY SILVER LUCKENBOOTH BROOCH
MAKERS MARK INDISTINCT A*
£479
Scottish Works of Art & Whisky
Auction: 16 August 2023 at 11:00 BST
Description
of traditional ‘Inverness’ style the open heart form surmounted with spectacle crown and with engraved linear detail, the reverse engraved with contemporary initials ‘WR IMR’, with integral swing pin
Dimensions
8.5cm high, 14.8g
Provenance
Provenance:
Property of a Gentleman – Previously from the collection of Sir Colin MacRae (1869-1952) of Feorlinn and Lady Margaret Crichton Stuart (1875-1964)
Footnote
Note:
Although the maker's mark struck to this piece is poorly struck it seems safe to say that this brooch is provincially made and most likely in the Inverness / Highland region. The study of marked examples that follow this traditional large open form with ’spectacle’ crown surmount predominantly come from Inverness-based or trained makers.
Although the Luckenbooths that these brooches take their name from are closely linked to Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, it is surprising how rare Edinburgh-marked examples are.
For further reading and new light on the geographic styles of Luckenbooth brooch see ‘Scottish Heart Brooches a Re-evalaution of the Lucknbooth’ L A McGill, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Vol 151 2022, page 223-234