1900-1909 Edwardian 9k Gold Hand of Ulster Brooch

Details

Description

The Red Hand of Ulster is a reference to an ancient Irish legend that tells the tale of two rivals … Read more The Red Hand of Ulster is a reference to an ancient Irish legend that tells the tale of two rivals competing in a boat race to reach a new land. According to the legend, whoever reached the new land first would be crowned the king and able claim the land. Seeing that he was about to the lose the race, one of the competitors cut off his own hand and threw it onto the shore. Technically, he was the first to touch this new land, and he was crowned the King of Ulster.

This 9k gold brooch features the red hand of Ulster in its center, with a beautiful red enamel that is translucent enough to reveal the detailing of the fingers in the gold underneath. Circa the Edwardian era, the brooch comes out of the Celtic Revival movement of the early 1900’s, in which ancient Gaelic, Irish, and Scottish culture and myths were depicted in jewelry and art. The brooch, which is narrow enough to also be defined as a pin, places the hand on a long gold horizontal bar. Upon first glance, the hand is reminiscent of a stop sign, perhaps urging you to halt before making your next move. But once you find out the lore that the hand represents, the piece becomes all the more interesting. This brooch is a great conversation starter and a piece of Irish history.

The brooch measures 2” wide. The hand element measures 1/2” x 5/16”. The piece weighs 2.65 grams. It is marked on the clasp as 9k gold. See less