Plaid Brooch, Clan Crested.
4inch diameter.

The 3000 year old Pictish and Celtic art heritage of Scotland developed in no more beautiful form than in the traditional jewellery now so famous throughout the world. Many of our designs are faithful copies of antique originals from the Museum of National Antiquities, Edinburgh, or more often from the Isle of Iona, once famous for its Silversmiths, hence its ancient name "The Isle of Cunning Workmen". On Iona today, the lovely old Celtic designs are still to be found adorning the ancient Cathedral of the Isles; the tombs of Scotland's Kings and Chiefs, and the 1000 year old Celtic Standing Crosses. Many designs incorporate endless Celtic interlacings, the symbol of eternal life; others the beautiful distorted animal forms, distorted because the Celt would not reproduce the exact image of any living thing. The Luckenbooth brooch, so called because of its sale front "locked booths" in the Royal Mile, adjacent to St. Giles Cathedral, was traditionally gifted by a young man to his betrothed and was subsequently pinned to the shawl of the first baby to protect it from "evil spirits" and thus they have passed down through generations of Scottish families. The heart shape design is significant of its purpose and a surmounting crown symbolic of Mary Queen of Scots. The thistle was adopted over 700 years ago as the emblem of Scotland, when according to legend it was responsible for signalling the clandestine approach of a horde of bare-footed invaders! By virtue of its aesthetic quality and balance, the thistle translates beautifully into a variety of our jewellery designs, including: brooches, pendants, earrings, pins, cufflinks and tie-bar; some complemented by stones of finest lead crystal glass in traditional colours.

In ancient times, a Chief wore in battle a distinguishing badge on his helmet, a device which his followers could recognize in the turmoil of action. This is known as the Crest of the Chief and appears at the top of his Full Coat of Arms. Anyone baring the same name as a Scottish Chief is a Clansman of the Chief and has the privilege of wearing his Crest surrounded by a Strap and Buckle Garter to denote his Clan Allegiance. The great Scottish Clans contain families who bore a different surname but were descended from the Chief through the female line. They are called Septs. Therefore anyone who has an ancestor bearing a Sept name or the Clan name itself has the privilege of wearing or displaying the Crest Badge.

This item is also available with these non-clan crests:

• Scots Thistle
• Saltire
• Rampant Lion
• Ireland
• Piper
• Shamrock and Shamrock Enamel