Thanks for that ev,
I have contacted the National Museums of Scotland to see if they have much else from Robert Trotter. He certainly donated material to Perth Museum (they do't have the piece I am looking for) and the National Museums of Scotland took charge of the Society of Antiquaries Museum. Hopefully they have the amber bead. The article you mentioned includes the story of the piece I am looking for. It is quite a fun read:
VII.
SCOTTISH CHARMS AND AMULETS. BY GEO. F. BLACK,
ASSISTANT-KEEPER OF THE MUSEUM.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 8, 1893.
….
To Dr E. de Brus Trotter of Perth, I am indebted for the following
account of an amber bead in his possession, which was formerly used as
a charm. The bead is 7/8 ths inch in diameter and 1/2 inch thick, and
has a silver ring through the perforation :—
"I got the bead when a boy (about 1845) from Mrs Shaw, near Auchencairn,
Berwick, Galloway. It originally belonged to her father, a man of
the name of Carnochan, a celebrated smuggler of the end of last century.
The history of it, which of course is entirely fabulous, was that he took it from
a " bing o' eththers" which were busy making it, at the fort of Knocktintal;
that he galloped with it in his hand, and the adders in pursuit, across the sands of Auchencairn Bay at half tide, and swam his horse through the tide to the island of Hestan, the adders being drowued when they got among the broken water. He wore it on a ribbon round his neck as a talisman for luck, and used it for curing "backgaun weans," "elfshot kye," and "sick beass" generally,
and for averting the effects of the evil eye. It had to be dipped three times in
water, which was given to the sick child or animal to drink. I don't
remember if any words were said. Old Carnochan lost it one Sunday when
digging for worms in his garden, and his luck left him, his cargoes were captured, his hiding-place betrayed, and he died in poverty. One of his grandchildren many years after found it in the garden, but the luck didn't return
with it. It was tried to cure Jean Craig's cat, but the cat died, and so it was
thought of no more use."
Best wishes,
Neil