Bick & Son 14kt Gold Scarab Bracelet

Ah, the lovely scarab.  My mother had a bracelet very similar to this when I was growing up.  As a matter of fact, I think she may still have it, so it is time to raid her jewelry box!  This pretty bracelet was made somewhere between in the late 1940s through 1960 by Bick & Son (also known as Bickson).  It has more "scarab" stones (eleven in total) than many similar bracelets I have seen from this time period, but each stone is a bit smaller than those in the other designs I have seen.  The Harry S. Bick & Son Jewelry Company produced high-end fashion jewelry in New York City from the 1940s through the 1980s. 

The scarab beetle is a symbol of rebirth and has been a symbolic motif in Egyptian jewelry (rings, pendants, and bracelets) for thousands of years.  Wearing scarab jewelry was thought to bring luck, protection, and vitality to those who wore it.  Egyptian soldiers were given scarabs to protect them in battle, and the women were given scarabs for fertility.  Scarab jewelry was made from a variety of materials including wood, clay, bone, glass, soapstone, and semi-precious gemstones.  The color of the scarabs were symbolic and plain stones were often glazed in bright colors.  In the last 100 years, scarab jewelry has been made from gemstones, enameled materials, and precious metals. 

Feel free to contact me if you are interested in purchasing this piece.  Questions, comments, and additional information are always appreciated.  My online shop on http://www.etsy.com/ is coming soon.

Thank you to the following website(s) for the historical content of this blog post:

Decotini. Retrieved 1/19/2011 from http://www.decotini.com/catalog/item/4512877/4563731.htm

Ezine Articles. Retrieved 1/19/2011 from http://ezinearticles.com/?Egyptian-Scarab-Jewelry---Symbolism-and-History&id=3680720http://www.scarabjewelry.org/