Belt
1800-1850 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Iceland is one of the most remote areas of north-west Europe. Its traditional jewellery often retains many medieval characteristics lost elsewhere.
Icelandic women wore many decorative appliqués on their costume, on their dress and headband, as well as the belt. The appliqués on this belt were originally made as bodice fasteners. These were worn in pairs down the front of the bodice, with the large loops facing each other. The wearer laced her bodice by running a cord tightly through the loops, from side to side, like lacing a shoe. These bodice fasteners come from many sets, some cast, and some made of filigree, which is one of the most characteristic elements of Icelandic traditional jewellery.
Icelandic women wore many decorative appliqués on their costume, on their dress and headband, as well as the belt. The appliqués on this belt were originally made as bodice fasteners. These were worn in pairs down the front of the bodice, with the large loops facing each other. The wearer laced her bodice by running a cord tightly through the loops, from side to side, like lacing a shoe. These bodice fasteners come from many sets, some cast, and some made of filigree, which is one of the most characteristic elements of Icelandic traditional jewellery.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Black velvet backed with black and white cloth and decorated with cast silver and silver filigree |
| Brief description | Black velvet belt decorated with cast and filigree silver bodice clasps, Iceland, 19th century. |
| Physical description | Belt made from a strip of black velvet backed with black and white twill cloth. There are 13 cast and filigree silver bodice fasteners sewn along the face of the belt, of varying designs. The two nearest the clasp each have a small pendant leaf hanging from the centre. The belt is fastened with a two-part shield-shaped silver filigree clasp. |
| Summary | Iceland is one of the most remote areas of north-west Europe. Its traditional jewellery often retains many medieval characteristics lost elsewhere. Icelandic women wore many decorative appliqués on their costume, on their dress and headband, as well as the belt. The appliqués on this belt were originally made as bodice fasteners. These were worn in pairs down the front of the bodice, with the large loops facing each other. The wearer laced her bodice by running a cord tightly through the loops, from side to side, like lacing a shoe. These bodice fasteners come from many sets, some cast, and some made of filigree, which is one of the most characteristic elements of Icelandic traditional jewellery. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 466-1901 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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