1834 – GOBBO/CORNETTO KEYRING MAN WITH CHILLI TORSO

Physical description:

Plastic keyring charm - hunchback figure with red horn for bottom half (known as Gobbo/Cornetto).

Museum classification:

Protection

Size:

120 x 27 x 20 (Inc chain)

Information:

A popular Italian charm to ward off the evil eye. Known as Gobbo/Cornetto - Gobbo is the name of the lucky hunchback figure. He is holding a horseshoe and his right hand is making the mano cornuta (or corna) gesture. He is wearing a black top hat similar to that worn by the Voudoun deity Baron Samedi. The bottom half of the charm is a red horn shape (cornetto). The horn is both a weapon to repel the evil eye, and a phallic fertility charm. It also resembles a chilli. Chillies (like garlic) are regarded as protective because of their medicinal properties. Often these horn shapes are made of coral.

Resource:

Object

Materials:

Plastic, metal

Copyright ownership:

Treetrunk Ltd

A popular Italian charm to ward off the evil eye. Known as Gobbo/Cornetto - Gobbo is the name of the lucky hunchback figure. He is holding a horseshoe and his right hand is making the mano cornuta (or corna) gesture. He is wearing a black top hat similar to that worn by the Voudoun deity Baron Samedi. The bottom half of the charm is a red horn shape (cornetto). The horn is both a weapon to repel the evil eye, and a phallic fertility charm. It also resembles a chilli. Chillies (like garlic) are regarded as protective because of their medicinal properties. Often these horn shapes are made of coral.