Antique Victorian Double Sided Horse Shoe and Hobnail 14k Gold Charm Pendant

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Rare Antique Victorian 14k good luck charm featuring a double sided three dimensional course shoe with a hobnail inside the … Read more Rare Antique Victorian 14k good luck charm featuring a double sided three dimensional course shoe with a hobnail inside the opening. Hobnails were often used to increase traction for horses. It has a rose gold hue. Unmarked but tests 14k it might be 15k. Circa 1880.

Measurements with the bale and loop.. Without the loop and bale it is .77" tall by x .56" wide.

History of the lucky horse shoe from The Kentucky Derby Museum:

From four-leaf clovers to rabbit's feet, many symbols have been considered harbingers of good fortune throughout history. Among these, the lucky horseshoe stands out as a common symbol of luck and protection, even as beliefs and traditions change over time.

Often seen hanging in closed spaces like barns or stables, given to a newlywed couple, or, more recently, worn as jewelry, horseshoes are thought to bring good luck and protection. Over the centuries, several origin stories emerged about why people the world over believe in the luck of the humble horseshoe.

In the Irish story of the blacksmith and the devil, one day a blacksmith was working hard in his shop forging horseshoes. Suddenly, the devil appeared and demanded his own shoes. The blacksmith, recognizing the devil, took a burning-hot shoe and nailed it deep into the devil's hooves.

The devil was in such excruciating pain, he ripped the horseshoes off and swore he would never go near one again. Thus, the tradition of hanging a horseshoe over the entrance of a house to ward off evil spirits was born.

Another story has more to do with the metal in the horseshoes. Early Western Europeans believed that iron had magical powers and could drive away evil. Folklore of the time was rife with tales of mischievous fairies and mystical creatures. Horseshoes, being made of iron, naturally became protective talismans.

Other legends said that witches were so afraid of iron horseshoes, they traveled by broomstick instead of horseback. And 8th-century Chaldeans believed the crescent shape of the horseshoe protected against the evil eye, thus making it a good luck charm See less