Edition #4: Lucky Bean Jewelry
The humble bean — a Victorian icon of good luck.
The late 19th century was full of quirky adornments (see: mourning jewelry aka memento mori made with hair, scarabs/bugs, and lover’s eyes) so it should come as no surprise that good luck charms were commonly worn in a time when the life expectancy was 40ish. The idea of good luck via bean supposedly came from sea bean pods that were made into jewelry by local fishermen. That evolved into the shape being cast in precious metals, embellished with jewels, and painted with enamel as the symbol became more popular. Pretty cool beans.
Antique amethyst and diamond lucky bean charm on Etsy: To quote my husband after seeing this week’s edition “Roll that beautiful bean footage.” This chunky, faceted amethyst has a tiny diamond accent that makes this bean look even tastier.
Vintage 9ct Lucky Bean Charm on Etsy: Embellished with a round garnet, this little bean is hollow and lightweight. It makes me want to eat it…
Rare Vintage 9ct Lucky Bean Locket on Etsy: More coffee bean than kidney bean, this gold locket has a soft velvet interior that is sort of giving Twin Peaks vibes (red curtain + chevron floor).
Rare Enameled Lucky Bean Charm Pendant Running Pig on Etsy: The pig is another symbol of good luck and this French charm depicts said swine crashing through a wall. It’s apparently to ward off any obstacles the wearer may encounter and is clearly the early inspiration for the Kool-Aid Man.
Victorian Gold Cased Memorial Locket Bean Shaped on Etsy: Most bean charms were simplistic in design, but this hefty locket ain’t that. Floral etching and braided gold wire on the front and back, with a memorial photo and a lock of hair (in classic Victorian memento mori style as mentioned before) inside.
Victorian Guilloche Bean Locket Pendant on Etsy: This tiny French locket is made with guilloche (a fancy name for mechanical engraving) to create the dimpled texture then layered in blue enamel. Now that I think about it, it kind of looks like a blue peanut. The size and shape of the internal compartments definitely aren’t helping.
Vintage Agate Lucky Bean Trio on Etsy: What’s luckier than one bean? Three beans! Made from agate, these stone beans triple your chances of someone asking “Are you wearing beans?”
Antique 9ct Rose Gold Lucky Bean Charm Ring Seed Pearl Accents on Etsy: While researching, there were only a few instances where the bean strayed from the neck. This rose gold ring with a dangly bean charm is great for those of us that cannot stop fidgeting with our jewelry.
RARE Antique Victorian 12 kt Lucky Bean Earrings on Etsy: Another variation includes these eye-catching earrings, with dangling beans embellished with flowers made from turquoise and seed pearls. Please someone get these for their bean-loving partner because I can picture them now getting excited when someone compliments their earrings and they get to say “They’re beans!!”
Solid 18k Yellow Gold Lapis Lazuli Coffee Bean Charm on Etsy: Another coffee-bean-inspired charm, this blue bean is a real eye-catcher. Lapis Lazuli is such a good name for a blue stone.
Honorable Mentions:
Other early good luck charms:
Mad Money charms - sometimes seen as “In Case of Emergency” charms
What terms were searched:
Victorian lucky bean jewelry
Bean charm
Good luck charms
Sea bean jewelry
Welcome to Finder’s Keepers
This is the newsletter dedicated to leaving no vintage stone unturned. Each edition will cater to a rabbit hole that I fell down one night and include an assortment of vintage finds that make you question “Why did anyone own this?” followed quickly by “Should I own this?”
My method is simple: I attach a keyword or phrase to the item and go digging, spending hours each week combing through hundreds of pages of Etsy and Ebay bric-a-brac until I’ve seen it all. It’s chaotic but satisfactory, like looking through every rack and bin at a thrift store for those that partake in the more visceral act of going in person. I like to sit on my couch.