![]() The saying is believed to have come from a child’s chase or tag game in the Victorian era. Both have the same effect, they ward off bad luck. It will depend on what part of the world you live in. You will either be a “touch wood” or a “knock on wood” person. I haven't yet found out why "Lucky Luce" but I shall keep on looking.Ī silver Fumsup can be found for around £110, gold ones around £150 and the brass ones around £35. They made literally thousands of charms from the turn of the last century. They are marked "JMF Co STERLING" which I believe is the J M Fisher Company of Attleboro in Massachusetts. These were originally thought to be English but since obtaining one I have realised that they are actually American in origin. The classic version was also made in 9ct gold as pictured above. Also available is another silver one that has the words “Lucky Luce” on the front instead of "Fumsup" along with a much rounder head made of glass (ultra rare). The one on the end is a cheaper version in brass with a wooden bead head that has painted features rather than the carved or pressed features that the silver one has. This mould was also used to make a fully puffed version. Next is a thin pressed one sided Fumsup that is a Christmas pudding charm. ![]() Some had white glass eyes but others were available with lucky birthstone eyes. This has a registered design number for 1914 on the back as seen in picture two. Pictured above is the classic sterling silver Fumsup with the wooden head and articulated arms. He was sent to soldiers from sweethearts as a good luck charm and there are some lovely stories to be found on the internet today from families who still have their Fumsup charms that saw their Grandfathers through WWI and in some cases WWII as well. ![]() This was also when the wooden head first appeared and he became a touch wood charm as well as a Fumsup charm. It was the outbreak of WWI that saw his popularity soar. The postcard pictured above has a small write up on the back which calls the character a ‘baby Mercury with the emblem of luck on his forehead’. It wasn’t just as charms but on all sorts of items including crested china, postcards and even packs of playing cards. The Fumsup character first appears around the 1880's. Only a theory but quite a good one I think. For the character to be registered it would need a name that could also be registered and the name ’thumbs up’ couldn’t be because it was a universal saying so they spelt it differently. ![]() The majority of the Fumsup charms have registered design numbers. So why the strange spelling of the name Fumsup? I have a theory. Historians have since proven this to be wrong but when this Fumsup character emerged in the late Victorian period I expect they still believed the original stories. Supposedly a ‘thumbs up’ would mean he would live and a ‘thumbs down’ would mean death. The Fumsup character is believed to be a nod back to the Gladiator days in Rome when the Emperor would decide if a Gladiator would live or die. That is a poem that would sometimes be written on the card that the Fumsup charms would be sold on and I thought a very fitting start to my article on touch wood and Fumsup charms. They’ll help true love 'mongst other things.
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