{"product_id":"victorian-lucky-charm-bracelet","title":"Victorian Lucky Charm Bracelet","description":"\u003cp\u003eCute antique charm bracelets with six enamelled lucky charms: a ladybird, four-leaf clover, ace of hearts, tortoise, mushroom, and cat. The charms hang from a fine fetter-link chain that fastens with a bolt ring clasp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet's break down the charms, because they're not all necessarily recognisable as lucky these days...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLadybirds \u003c\/strong\u003e(or ladybugs) are still considered lucky, especially if one lands on you. The number of spots indicates how many months until a wish comes true. They've been lucky omens since the Middle Ages in Europe, associated with delivering good harvest. Farmers would pray to the Virgin Mary, and the little red-and-black beetles that arrived to eat pests like aphids were seen as a divine gift, becoming known as \"Our Lady's beetles\" and eventually ladybirds. In Italy, ladybird charms are a staple for good fortune, and in Norwegian folklore if a couple see a ladybird together they will soon fall in love. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFour-leaf Clover\u003c\/strong\u003e (not to be confused with a shamrock, which has three leaves): a rare genetic mutation of the clover, approx. 1 in every 5000 to 10000 clovers have the extra leaf - and some even have five or six. The four leaf clover's significance as a luck-bringer pre-dates Christianity; the ancient Celts are said to have assigned the four leaves to the elements - earth, wind, fire, water - while later European folklore linked the leaves to hope, faith, love and luck. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAce of Hearts\u003c\/strong\u003e: in cartomancy, the ace of hearts represents love, joy, and happiness, representing an \"overflowing heart.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTortoises\u003c\/strong\u003e live for a really long time, centuries in some extreme cases, and are thus associated with longevity and good luck. The ancient Chinese believed the tortoise was an animal \u003cem\u003esheltered by divinity\u003c\/em\u003e, and the pattern on its shell was through to represent the \u003cem\u003etruth of nature\u003c\/em\u003e. They used to use tortoise plastrons for ritual divination, associating the tortoise with divine knowledge, stability, and the ordering of time. These divination patterns are said to have evolved into Chinese characters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMushroom\u003c\/strong\u003e: historically, in Germanic folklore, the fly agaric or \u003cem\u003eGlückspilz\u003c\/em\u003e, the iconic red and white spotted toadstool \u003cem\u003eAmanita\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003emuscaria\u003c\/em\u003e, is celebrated as an omen of good fortune and prosperity. It's also associated with Christmas (which the Germans are pretty good at) because they tend to grow at the roots of fir trees. In Scandinavian culture it's known as the \u003cem\u003eflugsvamp \u003c\/em\u003eor \u003cem\u003efluesvamp\u003c\/em\u003e, and is traditionally exchanged at New Year as a token of luck, prosperity and protection for the year ahead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Cat\u003c\/b\u003e with raised fur and back arched is a symbol of either protection and good fortune, or dark omens and witchcraft. Pick your poison. In Celtic mythology, the arched back cat is related to the \u003cem\u003ecat-sìth\u003c\/em\u003e, a legendary fairy creature resembling a large black cat with a white spot on its chest. Around Samhain, it was custom to leave out a saucer of milk for them. If you did, your household would receive good luck for the year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEra: Victorian, circa 1900\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLength: 7 inches\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarks: None, tested as base metal\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition: Good antique condition; some minor enamel loss to the ladybird - see images.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lost Heirloom","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52621481181496,"sku":"LO2964","price":250.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0555\/7387\/2952\/files\/Website-2752.jpg?v=1784238554","url":"https:\/\/lostowl.com\/products\/victorian-lucky-charm-bracelet","provider":"Lost Owl Jewelry","version":"1.0","type":"link"}