Protective medallion

Made:
1908-1931 in France

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.

Details

Category:
Ethnography and Folk Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A665091
Materials:
nickel, ? material
Measurements:
overall: 1 mm 30 mm, .002 kg
type:
amulet
credit:
Loan, Wellcome Trust