Beaucraft Sterling Silver Double Link Charm Bracelet

Ah, the "charming" charm bracelet.  This high quality piece was made by Beaucraft, a company we know from a previous blog post who produced sterling silver in Providence, RI from 1947 through 2004.  This piece does not have any charms attached to it, but it was definitely made to hold charms.

Charms have a long history, dating back to the Neolithic era when someone would find a unique stone or piece of wood and carry it with him to ward off enemies.  Thousands of years later, the first recognizable charm bracelets, anklets, and necklaces appeared in the preparation process of Ancient Egypt.  From the Roman Empire through the Middle Ages, amulets and charms where worn for protection, and by the superstitious.  Over the years, the role of the charm was also to identify social status, political or religious standing, family of origin, and profession. 

The actual charm bracelet was made popular by Queen Victoria in the early twentieth century and its popularity carries on today, with the Pandora bracelet (and an array of other copycat manufacturers) who created a new system for charm collecting in 2002. 

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.rubylane.com/ is coming soon.

Thank you to the following website(s) for the historical content of this blog post:

 Jewelers. Retrieved 3/19/2011 from http://www.lewisjewelers.com/news-and-articles/the-history-of-the-charm-bracelet/35