Silver ‘Sweetheart’ Brooch and Buckle by Barnsley Museums published on 2024-04-30T20:42:53Z This is a silver sweetheart brooch and buckle that dates from the 19th century. It’s displayed within an area called the “Chamber of Treasures” in the left-hand side of a glass-fronted display case, on the third shelf up. Two hearts have been pressed out leaving the underside of each one with a raised rim all the way round. The edge of the rim is decorated with tiny balls. The hearts are joined at their widest point by a smaller, solid heart, and a flat row of irregular angled shapes links the points of the larger hearts at the bottom. The brooch can be fastened by a simple pin that hinges open on the right-hand side. The larger hearts are hallmarked and the label that tells us the brooch is inscribed with the Hebrew word ‘mizpah’ meaning 'watchtower' to express a powerful bond of protective love. It belonged to Susannah Hartley who was married to the carpenter James Senior of Wentworth Castle.
