Victorian Spinning Top Good Luck Charm

No.358

STORY:  

No other piece of jewellery can capture a moment in someone's life quite like a charm. Special memories, milestones, love lost, love found and even someone's superstitions.   

This little spinning top has to be one of the cutest little charms I'vee come across. It dates to the mid/late 1800s and would have been used as little game to bring some good luck. 

Crafted in gold plated silver, it features delicately enamelled figures representing different German good luck charms: 

Pig: Fortune, wealth, prosperity. 

Ladybug: Surprise Happiness 

The top itself can be unscrewed from the bale on the charm. The charm is in amazing condition. There is no wear/chipping to any of the enamel images which it quite rare. There is minimal wear to gold plating on the edges of the screw and top of the charm, but the gold plating is relatively intact. There is a hairline scratch above the clover image. 

Such an interesting and high quality piece. Care must be taken when wearing the charm as the enamel is fragile. As the enamel is like glass it can crack / break off if hit in the wrong way. I would also avoid having the charm coming into contact with any chemicals like hairspray, perfume, chlorine. It is best cleaned using a mild soap and a microfibre polishing cloth. 

 Era:

Victorian circa 1850-1890

Measurements: 

 Pendant measures 32mm long including the jump ring and 9mm at it's widest point. 

The tiny enamel panels measure 9.5mm. 

Hallmarks:  

None 

Materials: 

Gold plated silver, enamel 

Provenance: 

Germany