Mystery Scottish brooch 'PRO MITRA CORONAM'.

Firstly being new here my thanks for the informative responses to my previous, and first, thread.

This brooch is a mystery and if anyone has any thoughts that they would care to share, they would be most welcome. It looks silver but is probably base metal, it measures approximately 2" across and may have been hand made, the pin on the reverse appears to be a replacement but the securing hook, probably original. The motto 'PRO MITRA CORONAM', a mitre for a crown, relates to a Scottish family called Sharp and an incident in the 1650's, as does the coronet, what I can't pin down is the nature of the heraldic bird on the right hand side and why does it have it's foot on a Fleur de Lys, also what is the significance of the triangular shape with three dots on the bird's beak.

Any thoughts however random would be really appreciated, I keep coming back to this brooch, it's a beautiful item and I would love to know a bit more about it.

 

The bird may be a "pelican in its piety" or more possibly a crane, which were often depicted holding a stone in one claw.
Interesting!

 

I wish I could help. I love an interesting mystery like this. I don’t know what the Sharp connection is but the symbolism seems possibly related to the Papacy (mitred hat) vs Monarch after the break with Catholicism.

 

James Sharp, Minister of Crail, Archbishop of St Andrews.????

 

I think you might have something with the Crane suggestion, I have looked at some length for all bird heraldic symbols and your suggestion is the closest, the next mystery is why a Fleur de Lys rather than a stone in it's claw, I will follow up a couple more suggestions below and see if that brings things together. Many thanks.

 

I will dig a bit deeper into this and let you know if it comes together - many thanks.

 

I think you are spot on with this, I will investigate the other suggestions and see if it all comes together - many thanks for taking the trouble to respond. John.