Lucky Charms: Jewelry That Protects and Attracts

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Are you feeling lucky? Lucky charms have used to ward off evil for centuries.

Finding a heads up penny, wearing an unwashed jersey, a hat worn upside down and backwards to rally for the losing team are all ways to bring good luck. Lucky trinkets have been worn for centuries, including the cornicello horn, the four leaf clover, the Hamsa, the ladybug and the horseshoe.

 
Italian Horn

In ancient Greek and Roman mythology the horn signified strength, power and abundance. It is said to bring future wealth and prosperity to those who wear a horn. Animal horns are believed to have great power over the evil eye. In Italy a cornicello, or cornetto which translates to “little horn” or “hornlet”, is a charm worn to protect against the evil-eye curse. A curse cast by a malicious glare to cast misfortune or injury. Originally the cornicello looked like a twisted horn, resembling the African eland or antelope. As the tradition continued, Italians also refer to the cornicello as a chili pepper due to the abundance of peppers in Calabria.

 

4 Leaf Clover

A person who finds a four leaf clover is said to have good luck. The leaves symbolize one for faith, the second for hope, the third for love and the fourth for luck. In the Irish tradition the three leaf clover is called a shamrock and it represents the Holy Trinity. If a four leaf shamrock is found by an Irishman the fourth leaf represents God’s Grace, a truly lucky person. A four leaf clover is also said to symbolize fame, wealth, love and health.

 
Hamsa, or the Hand of Fatima

The Hamsa is a hand shaped amulet thought to offer protection to the bearer. In the Muslim culture the hand is a symbol of Fatima the favored daughter of the prophet Muhammad. Each finger represents faith, prayer, pilgrimage, charity and fasting. In Europe the hand held up was said to protect one against the evil eye. In the Jewish community the Hamsa is a reminder to use your five senses to praise God. The hand of Fatima is used in the Algerian emblem and is a symbol of a new era.

Ladybug

To kill a ladybug is said to bring bad luck. Although the ladybug is a North American insect it transcends across many cultures. Ladybugs are used in farming as an organic pesticide. During the Middle Ages many European Christian societies referenced the ladybug’s spots to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. It is said that when the farmers prayed to the Virgin Mary to protect their crop that ladybugs appeared to defend, commonly called “Beetles of our Lady”. The name evolved into ladybugs. In many cultures the ladybug is used to reference Feng Shui, optimizing the flow of energy through space. When a ladybug lands on a person or thing it will be replaced with an improved version.

 

 
Horseshoe

Horseshoes are hung over doorways in many homes to protect and attract good fortune for those who reside there. When a horseshoe is hung pointing upwards it will hold luck inside forever. The horseshoe symbol has been associated with good luck for centuries. Blacksmiths were thought to have magical powers because of their ability to weld iron with elemental fire. In ancient Greece, horseshoes symbolized the moon which was regarded as a symbol of fertility. Simplistically speaking, horseshoes are designed to protect a horse's hoof from wear. The mere existence of a horseshoe is to protect.

Lucky charms can be very collectible in today’s market. Jewelry trinkets are wonderful examples of these symbols and can be found at our store. To shop for some of our lucky charms, click here.

Baltic Amber Jewelry Pieces

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Autumn is approaching, and so is the opportunity for fun fall accessories. Baltic amber, which comes in a variety of yellow and orange hues, is a severely underrated way to adorn yourself for the season.

Though it does appear to be a gemstone, all real amber is actually fossilized trees. Baltic amber is amber that has been mined from near the Baltic Sea.  

Baltic amber was formed over the course of 45 million years, from fossilized pine tree resin that grew in Northern Europe to Scandinavia. When the climate in that region began to get warmer, the pine trees produced resin or sap. this eventually fossilized and became hard and stable through oxidation. 

Authentic Baltic amber contains succinic acid, which works like ibuprofen when worn against the skin, and produces a soothing smell when in burned or in contact with human skin oils. 

Baltic Amber has also been said to help with pain relief, inflammation reduction, and energy restoration. In Europe, Baltic amber is commonly known as "teething jewelry," due to its pain-relieving properties. It also is said to help with joint pain when worn near the site of pain. 

There is a legend, according to Lithuanian mythology, about where Baltic amber comes from: The goddess Jurate, daughter of Perkunas, the god of thunder, lived in an amber palace in the Baltic Sea. 

A fisherman named Kastytis chose to cast his nets near Jurate's amber palace, so Jurate set her servants to tell Kastytis that fishing there was forbidden. Kastytis kept fishing anyway, so Jurate went to confront him herself.

Of course, upon meeting him in person, Jurate fell madly in love with Kastytis and brought him to live with her in her amber palace, even though she was already betrothed to another god.   

When he heard that his daughter was living with a mortal, Perkunas was furious. In his anger, he destroyed the amber palace by sending a lightning bolt into it, which killed Kastytis. Jurate remained chained to the palace's ruins for all eternity. 

It is said now that when there is a storm in the Baltic Sea, pieces of Jurate's amber palace wash up on shore. Some pieces are teardrop shaped -they are said to be Jurate's tears from crying for her lost love. 

Whether you choose to wear Baltic amber for its healing properties, or for its tragic place in Lithuanian mythology, Baltic amber makes a wonderful timeless accessory, 45 million years in the making. 

To shop for some of our amber pieces, click here.  

Cupid & Psyche Jewlery

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The ancient myth of Psyche and Cupid is an enduring tale of love and trust, and has been a popular motif in painting, sculpture, and jewelry for thousands of years. Psyche and Cupid is one my my favorite themes in jewelry, and I'd like to show off a few pieces we've found.

Psyche was the youngest and most beautiful daughter of the rulers of an unnamed city in ancient Greece. Her beauty was so great that the citizens of the city began to worship Psyche instead of (properly) worshiping Venus (Aphrodite), the goddess of love and beauty. Venus was offended that a mortal woman has usurped her rightful devotees and sent her son Cupid (Eros), the god of desire, to work her revenge. Venus ordered Cupid to shoot Psyche with one of his arrows and force her to fall in love with the most hideous monster he can find. When Cupid saw Psyche, he dropped the arrow meant for her and scratched himself instead, falling deeply and passionately in love with the beautiful young woman.

Although Psyche was the most beautiful mortal woman in the world, her noble
parents were unable to find anyone to marry her. Fearful that their family had incurred the displeasure of the gods, the king and queen consulted an oracle and were told that Psyche had been fated to marry a monster. She was to be taken to the top of a mountain and left there to meet her fate.

The West Wind spirited Psyche away to a beautiful palace with invisible servants. Every night, her husband visted her in the darkness and warned her that she must never try to see him. Although her invisible husband was kind, Psyche grew homesick. She persuaded her husband to allow her sisters to visit and lift her spirits. When her sisters arrived, however, they were overcome with jealousy. When the sisters learned Psyche had been warned never to try to see her invisible husband, they persuaded her that her husband must be a horrific monster. The sisters gave Psyche a candle and a knife, telling her that she must kill her husband before he killed her.

Psyche's invisible husband came to visit her in the night as usual. When he fell asleep, she took up the candle and knife. To her shock, the light revealed the most beautiful young man she had ever seen: Cupid. In her surprise, Psyche dripped hot wax on Cupid's shoulder, awakening him. Cupid immediately fled the opulent palace and his confused, despairing wife.

Psyche wandered the countryside looking for her husband, finally seeking out the help of Venus in desperation. Venus set many trials and tribulations for Psyche to endure, but Psyche's kind heart and gentle nature invariably led her to find help to pass each trial successfully. When Cupid heard that his wife was in the power of his spiteful mother, he appealed to Venus to stop her persecution. At long last, the pair were reunited and Psyche was anointed a goddess in her own right. And they lived happily ever after.

Psyche is almost always depicted with butterfly wings, although wings are never actually mentioned in the myth. Many of the cameos that depict Psyche will show her with butterfly wings in her hair, or with butterflies surrounding her. The butterfly symbolizes the soul in many mythologies, and is a key part in Psyche's symbolic tradition.

The story of Cupid and Psyche is a wonderful myth. On its surface, it is a story of love that begins in mistrust and yet eventually conquers any number of difficulties. It can also be read as an allegory for the soul, its struggles and resurrection. It's a wonderful motif for jewelry: depicting female and male beauty, with a deeper meaning for those who look for it.

We have seen several beautiful pieces of antique jewelry with the Cupid and Psyche theme. One of my current favorites is this Victorian era bracelet with a small medallion depicting butterfly-winged Psyche holding a lyre (one of Cupid's attributes).

To see more antique jewelry, check out our store.

Depictions of the Bacchanalia

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Today marks the beginning of the first day of the Bacchanalia, the ancient Roman festivals celebrating the god Bacchus. Bacchus (the Roman version of the Greek god Dionysus) was the god of wine and the grape harvest, winemaking and intoxication, fertility and epiphany. The Bacchanalia festivals take place in early Spring, and possibly began as fertility rites. The celebrations also included processions and dramatic performances as well as religious rites, but the "drinking feasts" are perhaps the most well-known aspect of the Bacchanalia today. The term bacchanalia or bacchanal has come to describe any type of uninhibited (and often drunken) revelry.


The flowering of the Renaissance spurred developments in all areas of society, but it is perhaps best known for its remarkable innovations in visual art. The Middle Ages had not approved of the licentious traits associated with Bacchus/Dionysus, to say the least. Renaissance artists embraced the theme of the Bacchanalia, restoring the god of wine as an appropriate subject by associating Bacchus' life-birth-rebirth cycle with the Christian resurrection. The bacchanal in art also allowed artists to freely depict reveling nude figures under the respectable aegis of "mythology", and it remained a popular theme in art long after its association with Christian resurrection faded away.

In decorative art, the Bacchanalia will often be seen on such items as wine decanters, pitchers, or snuff boxes. These socially acceptable vices are the perfect backdrop for scenes of partying gods and mortals. The antique silver pill box depicted at the upper left is a charming depiction of a traditional bacchanal scene, with dancing nymphs in a woodland landscape.

The pitcher at the right is a nice example of the subtle use of the Bacchanal theme during the Victorian era. The silver plated pitcher is crafted in the Aesthetic style, with an ornately decorated form. The pitcher features a finial of a small figure of Bacchus, holding a goblet of wine in an eternal toast.

Today, there is a wide variety of decorative and fine art depicting bacchanal scenes, which is quite wonderful for anyone interesting in collecting these festive pieces. We have scene this motif illustrated in jewelry, trinket boxes, pottery and porcelain, and so much more. It's a delightful sub-category of fine and decorative art inspired by Classical mythology. The pieces illustrated in this post can be found in our store, and we are always coming across new and beautiful Bacchanalia-themed objects.