Protective amulet, consisting of nickel (?) medallion, called Billiken, with pixie on obverse, De Mortillet collection, French, 1908-1931
This token is from the Luna Park amusement park in Paris (open from1907/9 to 1931), as indicated by the inscription on the reverse – ‘Porte-Maillot’, an area of Paris. The inscription on the front reads: ‘Si tu me gardes je te porterai bonheur’ – ‘I smile at you bad luck can’t harm you.’
The pixie is a Billiken, known as ‘The God of Things As They Ought to Be’, and whilst the purchase of a Billiken was said to give the customer luck, being given one would afford even greater luck.
On display
Science Museum: Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries
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Details
- Category:
- Ethnography and Folk Medicine
- Object Number:
- A665091
- type:
- amulet
- taxonomy:
-
- credit:
- Loan, Wellcome Trust
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