Vintage GI Silver & Enamel Jerusalem Souvenir Charm

This is a very nice post-World War II, enamel on silver shield as acquired by US servicemen for their sweetheart, wife or daughter as they traveled while on leave. This charm from Jerusalem, Israel, would have been added to an existing charm bracelet. Charm bracelets have been worn since recorded history. However, they became very popular in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries after it became known that Queen Victoria wore one with mementoes of the royal family and her many descendants sitting on thrones throughout Europe. Their popularity was revived in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and has seen another revival with the “retro” look of today. They were very popular items with US military families serving overseas during this time-period.

The city has a history which dates to the 4th millennium BC, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. Jerusalem is the holiest city in Judaism and the spiritual center of the Jewish people. It contains a number of significant ancient Christian sites, and is considered the third-holiest city in Islam. Despite having an area of only .35 square miles, the Old City is home to sites of key religious importance, among them the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque. The old walled city, a World Heritage site, has been traditionally divided into four quarters, although the names used today — the Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Quarters — were introduced in the early 19th century. In the course of its history, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times. The blemish on the shield is from the camera’s flash; the shield is perfect.

This will make a great addition to a charm or jewelry collection or those interested in military related souvenirs of the post-Second World War and Cold War eras. It is also a perfect gift for those interested in nostalgia, heraldry and coats-of-arms, vintage silver and enamel work, Middle East, Israeli and Jordanian history and travel, locations mentioned in the Bible, 1950s and 1960s fads, material related to major geographical and historic landmarks, building the charm bracelet of places you have visited, and those who want to recreate a more peaceful and family-oriented time.