Stuart silver heart-shaped Love-token Who this I give I wish may live

Code: 12354

This is a delightful Stuart-period silver love token dating to the 17th century. The heart-shaped token is engraved in script with a posy "Who this I give I wish may live" surrounding an anchor (representing hope). Such a token may have been given as a Valentine's gift. Heart-shaped tokens were popular as lockets and cuff-links initially produced to commemorate the marriage of Charles II to Catherine of Braganza in 1662 but continued to be used as a general symbol of love and marriage until the end of the century. See DOR-B4038C, BH-0B912C, and BH-6407F8 for type and further discussion.

OBJECT: Token

CULTURE: Stuart

DATE: c. 1650 - 1700 AD

MATERIAL: Silver

SIZE: 20mm x 19mm x 0.4mm 

WEIGHT: 0.8 grams

PROVENANCE: originally from a private collection in Hampshire. UK