Vintage Moon and Compass Star Horse Brass

A vintage moon and star horse brass ready to be repurposed for a warding talisman or altar decoration.

This early 20th century horse brass features a stylised four pointed compass star and could be used to honour the four elements--fire, water, earth and air, and four directions. measures almost 3" wide or 7cm and 3 1/2" or 9cm long.

Historically horse brasses were used to decorate horse harnesses with an alternate use as an apotropaic talisman, something to avert misfortune or bad luck. According to UK folklore, horses were particularly susceptible to ill use and being hag-ridden.  This perhaps dates back to a more ancestral memory of the horse as a sacred animal, kin to Epona the Celtic horse goddess.  The brasses were first and foremost, decoration for horses and their use was full of mystery. Objects of beauty, such as horse brasses were often thought to draw the the malignant impulse to itself rather than the wearer, much in the same way a witch ball was thought to protect a house.

I have more witchy vintage horse brasses available for sale - see last photo.

All pieces are made by hand or sourced with care from our home studio in Kirkwall, Orkney. Ally's designs are inspired by the wild, ancient Orkney landscape with its unique blend of Scottish and Norse culture and history.