The History of Bluebird of Happiness Jewellery
Categories: Giddy Tips, Jewellery 101, Meanings & Symbols, Stories in Silver and Gold29 Jun 2019

The Giddy Aunts have followed the stories of these tiny feathered fellows down memory lane to discover the earliest bluebird jewellery sighting. Our findings may surprise you!
The Bluebird's Meaning

Stories About the Bluebird of Happiness


Blue Birds in Jewellery


The History of Bluebird of Happiness Jewellery

The Daniel Low Emporium was in Salem Massachusetts and sold jewellery, cut glass, homewares, keepsakes and curios; quality items at fair prices, with something for everyone. Daniel Low capitalised on the tourist memento market by commissioning a spoon with a Salem Witch on the handle. Could the enterprising Daniel Low also be responsible for first popularising enamel Bluebird Jewellery with the message of happiness?
The 1892 mail order catalogue advertises:
Blue Bird Jewelry of sterling with blue enamel front and gilded back, symbolizing happiness or good fortune.
"I wish you the happiness of blue birds,
The peace and silent joy of flowers,
And the love of many friends."
Oh My Giddy Aunt! Have we found the first mention of the "Bluebirds of Happiness" jewellery?
There were other makers of enamel blue bird jewellery at this time, and jewellers such as German makers Meyle & Mayer were creating beautiful blue enamel birds around the turn of the century but Daniel Low & Co seems to be the first to really market the story of the "Bluebird for Happiness" along with the jewellery... unless someone knows something we don't know, in which case we would love to hear from you!
The First Bluebird Jewellery in Australia
Daniel Low & Co's Blue Bird jewellery may have been the first Bluebirds of Happiness jewellery, but the question remains. When did they land in Australia?


We know that after WWII, as a symbol of peace, Brisbane jewellers Wallace Bishops began manufacturing their top selling "Bluebird of Happiness" brooch, along with other Australian manufacturing jewellers such as House of Hawke, Lustre Jewellery and Rodd. Bluebird of Happiness brooches could be engraved with names for Christenings or special occasions, and the much-loved bluebirds soon occupied pride of place on rings, earrings, ID and padlock bracelets, lockets and pendants.


Brian Goldberg (Goldie) started his apprenticeship with the Rodd company in 1952 as a manufacturing jeweller eventually making the rank Australasia manager and remembers the bluebird motif manufactured by Rodd was already well established in Australia by the 1950/60s. Rodd made the dies for the bluebird motif and they were sent away for enamelling. The little Rodd bluebird signet ring pictured is from the 1960s.

Over the following decades, bluebird jewellery continued to grow in popularity as people wanted to "make a child happy with a little Bluebird" and today there are many suppliers of bluebird jewellery, although these days most of the old manufacturers are gone and most bluebird jewellery is now made outside Australia. While the shape of modern bluebirds may vary slightly from maker to maker, there is still a strong family resemblance that marks this little bird as the well-loved symbol of happiness and a tradition that will hopefully continue for many years to come.
What Age is Bluebird Jewellery For?

In the first half of the twentieth century Bluebirds for Happiness were given as love tokens to sweethearts and mothers or worn as the "something blue" at a wedding. Around the 1950s, blue bird lockets or rings were also given to girls starting high school as a first precious piece of grown-up, real jewellery.
After the 1970's bluebird jewellery was more usually associated with little children, especially with the popularity of engraved baby brooches and ID bracelets for naming days alongside traditional religious Christening jewellery. As "Teens" and later "Tweens" moved closer to the mini-adult market and away from childhood, the "bluebirds of happiness" stayed firmly ensconced in the popular category of Children's Jewellery.

After all, what more could anyone wish for a loved one than the happiness of blue birds,
the peace and silent joy of flowers,
and the love of many friends?
PLEASE NOTE: The information in this blog post has been gathered anecdotally and gleaned from all sorts of bluebird and jewellery fanciers. If you have more information to add to the story, or any corrections, we'd love to hear from you.