Swedish Jewelry and Ornamentation
The holiday attire of the women was completed by the number of ornaments which decorated them. These ornaments, which are of great interest both from an artistic and an historical…
Location: Sweden
From “Sweden.” in Peasant Art in Sweden, Lapland, and Iceland by Sten Granlund, 1910.
The holiday attire of the women was completed by the number of ornaments which decorated them. These ornaments, which are of great interest both from an artistic and an historical point of view were, as late as 1856-60, considered as absolutely necessary for the proper adornment of a dress.
In many branches of the decoration of the attire, or of the dwelling, we have met with motives which clearly recall that dragon-ornament which was so long considered as specifically Scandinavian. If we examine the old examples, however, we cannot discover any obvious connection with the most ancient northern types of ornaments, although on the other hand, the former are both ancient and thoroughly Swedish in character.
336: Silver-Gilt Bridal-Crown from Östergötland. Images from book, by Charles Holm.
The material of which these ornaments are made is always silver, and the work has been executed by silversmiths. Gilding was nearly always replaced by a coating of a kind of yellow colour applied to those parts which were to give the appearance of gold.
306: Silver Eyes from Skӓne
As regards technique, the simplest methods were employed; casting, filigree and the use of dies. These ornaments can be divided into two chief groups; those which formed a more or less integral part of the attire, and such as were purely and simply decorative, and were used only on especially festive occasions, at weddings and the like.
308: Silver Eyes from Skӓne
Old, wealthy peasant families often possessed quite a store of these ornaments, which had been acquired during the course of generations, and went from father to son, and these, as a rule, were taken out only when a bride was to be dressed for her wedding. Between these occasions they were kept in a chest, which was often richly ornamented, and this, in its turn, was preserved in the house-mother's linen-coffer.
We shall turn our attention first to the ornaments which can be considered as necessary appendages of the attire. Here we find the "eyes" (snörmärlor) for the stay-laces (Nos. 306, 308 and 309), of which there were usually six pairs, and which were sewn edge to edge over the breast and were used to keep the under bodice together. These "eyes" were in use as early as the close of mediaeval times, but it was probably during the renaissance period that they attained their greatest development both in size and beauty.
In their older forms they were often cast and adorned, sometimes with Gothic foliage, sometimes with mediaeval lettering, e.g. A.M. (Ave Maria), or with figures of saints. At a later period these "eyes" grew larger and a predilection was shown for employing monograms, as, for example, those of the reigning monarch, copied perhaps from some copper coin.Filigree work was often employed with glass prisms to further enhance their beauty. Sometimes these "eyes" were rectangular in form, and were adorned with pendants, acanthus leaves and other Gothic motives of varying design.
296-303: Clasps
A type of ornament which was very common in women's dresses on festive occasions was the double clasp (Nos. 296 to 305, and 310 to 312). It varied very much, both in form and size, and was used both for fastening the jacket and cloak, and also simply as an ornament for the breast, where it was worn over a red ground sewn fast to the jacket.
The bell-buttons (Nos. 313, 316 to 318, and 326 to 330) recall ancient modes of attire, and are, without doubt, representative of the silver bells of the dresses used in mediaeval times. They were usually worn, sewn fast to the edges of the jacket, and were in use far into the 19th century, but only in the most southern part of Sweden. Another form of button is the neck-button (Nos. 314 and 319 to 325), which was employed by both men and women to fasten the collar of the shirt.
315: Gold and Silver Belt Buckle from Skӓne.
All the ornaments mentioned can be considered as necessary parts of the dress. Merely ornamental, on the other hand, were the rings, belts, ornaments for the breast, necklets or necklaces (Nos. 307, 315, and 331 to 343), which were worn only on very festive occasions, but above all, as we have already said, when a bride was being adorned for her wedding. If there was any family that happened to possess no store of such ornaments, they borrowed from friends and relations on such occasions. A Swedish peasant-bride in olden times somewhat resembled a jeweller's shop window, so covered was she with silver ornaments from top to toe.
To wear such a festal dress was often enough a trial of strength, and it sometimes happened that the bride sank beneath the burden. And what are we to say of the poor brides on the island of Oland who, in accordance with an ancient custom, had to run on foot all the way from the house where the wedding was to be held to the church? “The quicker the bride runs, the greater the honour in which she shall be held," says an account of Oland written soon after 1760, and the writer continues: "And the running is troublesome enough, for she wears a silver crown on her head, weighing two or three pounds, besides having several kirtles on, and a number of jewels, consisting of glass or bits of a broken mirror set in pewter or lead. A number of bridesmaids fell behind in the race, and so the bride had time to recover breath in the church porch before these attendants were all assembled again. After the marriage ceremony, the journey home was made on foot, but this time, however, the bride was not obliged to run."
307: Silver-gilt Neck Ornament Set with Glass, from Skäne.
In order to get an idea of the glory of a peasant bride, we may look at a maiden from Inglestad in Scania, after she has been dressed for the wedding. To see her, we need not go farther back than to the "seventies" of last century. Under the chin she wore a rectangular plate of pressed or perforated silver, fastened round the neck by means of a silk ribbon drawn through a couple of clamps on the back of the plate. In a ring or chain fastened to the lower edge of the ornament there hung a pendant which, in spite of its circular form, had the name of "cross." This pendant (No. 307) is either cast or pressed, but in either case it is decorated with the initials I. H. S. (Jesus Hominum Salvator).
Around the collar of the bride's jacket lay a chain of links or plates, which was often so long that it went round the neck a couple of times and still had enough to hang a good way down over the breast. On this chain hung a decoration which had a more or less pronounced cross-form. The oldest examples were cast, and were decorated on both sides with filigree work. In those which are somewhat younger, the filigree decoration has been replaced by a crucifix, a floral or foliage motive (No. 332), a lozenge motive, etc.
334 & 335: Silver-Gilt “Bride’s Belt” from Helsingland.
The most recent, which probably represent the decadent period of peasant ornaments, were of silver lamina, very large, and absolutely overloaded with filigree work and cut-glass imitation jewels of various colours. Quite often, the brides had two such crosses, on separate chains. In such cases they had received one from their parents, and the other from their sweetheart. When this was the case, the chains were fastened to either shoulder, and were stitched to the dress so as to form designs, some in the shape of an hour-glass, some in the form of a heart, etc. An ancient peculiar custom, was that of the Ingelstad bride who had to carry her own and the bridegroom's wedding-spoons stuck in between these chains, so as to have them at hand at the wedding feast.
Another feature of the bridal-dress was the silver belt which was clasped round the waist. As a rule it consisted of a number of round or long, narrow, four-sided silver buckles of pressed work, fastened to a list of red cloth, one of the silver-edged ends of which hung down against the border of the kirtle. Belts of this kind were often distinguished by very beautiful goldsmith's work in late gothic or in renaissance.
The wedding-ring was of silver-gilt, seldom of gold. It is,too, a remarkable fact that ornaments of gold scarcely ever occurred. The bride did not always wear the ring on her finger, but sometimes had it attached to her silver chain; by Oland brides it was fastened to one corner of the neckerchief. In olden times, cast rings were used, made in the styles prevailing in the 15th and 16th centuries, and very often possessing great artistic value. But other rings of varying form were also used, such as spiral and "heel" (seal) rings.
At a later date, rings were made with a lozenge-shaped plate, decorated on top with jingling small rings, or with prisms ot flux-glass in blue and red.
The most important decoration of the bride's attire was, however, the open bridal-crown of silver-gilt (No. 336), which was often richly ornamented with a renaissance design. Rich families had in their possession a special crown which was allowed to be worn only by daughters of the family, or by brides who by their marriage entered the family. Other brides were obliged to borrow the bridal-crown belonging to the whole parish, which was kept in the church. As we have before mentioned, these crowns not infrequently weighed a couple of pounds.
What we have just described may be called an Ingelstad bride's dress, but brides in other parts of Sweden were quite richly bedecked with ornaments. Nor was it only at weddings that ornaments were worn; these rings, belts, ornaments for the breast, and necklaces, were produced on other occasions. The belt especially was the proudest and most valuable of the women's possessions. In Delsbo, in Helsingland, the belt consisted of die-pressed silver-gilt plates sewn fast to a cloth-sash which was usually of a bright red colour, or else of cast rectangular-shaped plates, which were coupled together in various ways, and were distinguished by most tasteful designs.
316 to 330: Hanging Buttons
A frequently occurring form of this latter type of belt was the beautiful open-work clasp with a silver chain which ended in a ball, or in a cast, silver-gilt commemorative medal. It is from Delsbo that the most valuable woman's belt in the possession of the Northern Museum comes (Nos. 334 and 335). It is known to have been inherited by several generations of a well-to-do Delsbo family, and the people in the parish considered it to be a very ancient piece of work. The design employed points to the style in vogue during the latter half of the 16th or the beginning of the 17th century.
As an ornament for the breast the Delsbo women wore a cross, a round die-pressed silver plate or coin, hanging from a silver chain and resting on the breast. Such ornaments were still common during the decade beginning 1850, and often rivalled the silver belts in point of age. The principal ornament for the neck was the so-called locket-chain 9laskedjan), which consisted of a larger or smaller-sized rectangular locket and three, five or seven links fastened to one of the short sides of the locket, and also to a plate with a spring which was inserted in a narrow opening on the other short side (Nos. 331 and 341 to 343). The locket-plate was ornamented either with engraving, or hammered hearts, or the like, or else with coloured flux-glass, set in silver-filigree on a gilt ground. Under the cross there hung still another but smaller cross or a heart, on a chain of finer make.
341 to 343: Silver Necklaces from Smäland.
A pendant ornament which was in general use in Smaland, amongst other places, was the "thaler-chain" (dal-kedjan), consisting of a chain which could be as much as 21/2 yards in length, on which the "thaler" or "daler" (an ancient Swedish coin) was hung. The "thaler" consisted either of an actual large silver coin, or else of a round silver plate, engraved on both sides; in the middle of the plate was set a hammered imitation of a medal or coin. Whether the "thaler" was a real one or not, it was surrounded by a thin twisted rod, and from this hung a large, or sometimes small, but always uneven number of concave pendants, which, like the "thaler," were of gilt. The "thaler" was sometimes replaced by a moulded silver cross, which was ornamented with flowers and leaves in relief, or else by a crucifix.
Not before a maiden was about to become a bride was she allowed to adorn herself with all this finery. Afterwards, as a married woman, she could wear the ornaments on special occasions, such as at other people's weddings, christenings, churching festivities, etc. Unmarried girls had to content themselves with an amber heart or a little silver cross, worn on a ribbon round the neck. Her youth and her innocence should be the only ornaments of a virtuous maiden. And such ornaments tar exceed all outward shows of silver and gold.
Some further proofs of the Swedish peasant's artistic sense ought to be given in this connection. While ornaments of gold and silver were generally made in the towns bv craftsmen, the peasant himself made all the wooden and iron things which adorned his home. Fine specimens of his sloyd-work are the watch-stands and the clothes-rail reproduced here (Nos. 45, 46 and 182).
To what extent the peasant decorated all his utensils may be seen from the richly carved and engraved powder-horn (No. 223). Amongst the different types of candlesticks already mentioned, there are some very fine specimens in wrought-iron. Every farmer generally had a smithy of his own, in which he made ornaments for church doors, scutcheons, door-locks, padlocks, etc. The iron grave crosses were probably made at the works. Several examples of iron-work are shown here (Nos. 238 to 295).
Granlund, Sten. “Sweden.” Peasant Art in Sweden, Lapland, and Iceland. Edited by Charles Holm. Translated by E. Adams-Ray, The Studio Ltd, 1910.
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