ring brooch
- Museum number
- 2013,8034.26
- Description
-
Ring hrooch, silver-gilt, a large circular brooch (bolesølje), cast, with six raised drums each with a heraldic lion, alternating with highly stylised heads of King Olaf. Scalloped outer edge, milled inner edge, and engraved tang.
- Production date
- 19thC (early to mid)
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 8.90 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Norway has the greatest variety of ring-brooches. The most distinctive pattern was the 'bolesølje,' with drum shaped mounts, which was unique to Norway. They take their name from a medieval cylindrical box called a bole. Cast examples usually predate the filgree kind and their decoration remains unchanged since medieval times (quoted from Jane Perry, 'Traditional Jewellery', London 2013, pp. 22-23. This type is charcteristic of those worn in the west coast region of Norway.
For more information see: J. Fossberg, 'Drakt Sølv, 1991, p.15 (an early 18th century example) and p. 145. For 17th century type see Fossberg pp. 63, 70, 143. See also R. Berge, 'Norskt Bondesylv', Oslo, 1975, tab. XL.1, XLII.3.
- Location
- On display (G47/dc8/p8/no12)
- Acquisition date
- 2013
- Acquisition notes
- Part of a collection of mostly Norwegian and Swedish traditional jewellery deposited at the Whitworth Art Gallery in 1898, see 'The Manchester Whitworth Insitute. Report of the Council, 1898', p. 9-10, where it is described as 'an interesting collection of what is known as Peasant Jewellery of Norway and Sweden, together with some notable specimens of the modern manufactures of the kind from workshops at Bergen'. The collection was on display at the Whitworth in 1903 (Report of the Council, 1903, p. 14), but in neither report is the donor recorded.
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 2013,8034.26
- Additional IDs
-
Miscellaneous number: MWI 17558 (former Whitworth Art Gallery inv.no.)