Ring Brooch thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91 to 93 mezzanine, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Ring Brooch

19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The ring brooch was the most important piece of jewellery in Norwegian traditional dress. Ring brooches can be circular or heart-shaped, and their design dates from the Middle Ages. They differ from modern brooches in the way they fasten. The wearer pulls the cloth of the garment through the central hole, and then spears it with the pin. The greater the strain on the pin, the more secure the fastening. Ring brooches were worn throughout Norway in the 18th and 19th century. Their shape and pattern varied by district and use. They were worn by men, women, and children.

There are well over 50 different names for brooches in Norwegian. Each kind of brooch has its own distinctive name, some of which date back to the Middle Ages.

A sporesølje is a ring brooch with six protruding points, usually shaped like stylised leaves. Sporesøljer with projections shaped like faces are called glibbsøljer. They are always made of cast metal, and were mainly worn in the west of Norway, by both men and women.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver-gilt
Brief description
Silver-gilt ring brooch (sporesølje), Norway, 19th century.
Physical description
Circular cast silver-gilt ring brooch, with six projections in the shape of stylised leaves sticking out from the central ring, interspersed by small knops.
Dimensions
  • Depth: 0.2cm
  • Diameter: 3.9cm
Credit line
Given by Miss E. J. Begg
Production
Mainly worn in the west of Norway
Summary
The ring brooch was the most important piece of jewellery in Norwegian traditional dress. Ring brooches can be circular or heart-shaped, and their design dates from the Middle Ages. They differ from modern brooches in the way they fasten. The wearer pulls the cloth of the garment through the central hole, and then spears it with the pin. The greater the strain on the pin, the more secure the fastening. Ring brooches were worn throughout Norway in the 18th and 19th century. Their shape and pattern varied by district and use. They were worn by men, women, and children.

There are well over 50 different names for brooches in Norwegian. Each kind of brooch has its own distinctive name, some of which date back to the Middle Ages.

A sporesølje is a ring brooch with six protruding points, usually shaped like stylised leaves. Sporesøljer with projections shaped like faces are called glibbsøljer. They are always made of cast metal, and were mainly worn in the west of Norway, by both men and women.
Collection
Accession number
M.22-1957

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Record createdNovember 1, 2005
Record URL
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