Pair of Dress Hooks
1850-1870 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The most characteristic element of Swiss traditional jewellery is the lavish use of chains and filigree.
Göllerketten, meaning collar chains, are among the most characteristic kind. Originally Swiss women used laces to hold their detachable white linen collars in place, but by the 19th century they had switched to silver chains. They wore them in pairs, one on each side of the body. These chains linked the lower outside corners of the collar, at the front and back, by passing under the arm. At each end there was a decorative filigree hook, which was attached to the corners of the collar.
These two decorative hooks were probably part of such Göllerketten. They were described as 18th century, from Berne, when they were acquired in Lausanne in 1870. The Bernese costume had been adopted as an unofficial Swiss national costume in the second half of the 19th century, and was very popular in the UK at that time for dressing-up. Large quantities of Bernese-style chains and filigree were imported into the UK from around 1875, many silver-plated. These are typical of Bernese filigree ornaments of that time, and it is unlikely that they were made much earlier than 1870.
Göllerketten, meaning collar chains, are among the most characteristic kind. Originally Swiss women used laces to hold their detachable white linen collars in place, but by the 19th century they had switched to silver chains. They wore them in pairs, one on each side of the body. These chains linked the lower outside corners of the collar, at the front and back, by passing under the arm. At each end there was a decorative filigree hook, which was attached to the corners of the collar.
These two decorative hooks were probably part of such Göllerketten. They were described as 18th century, from Berne, when they were acquired in Lausanne in 1870. The Bernese costume had been adopted as an unofficial Swiss national costume in the second half of the 19th century, and was very popular in the UK at that time for dressing-up. Large quantities of Bernese-style chains and filigree were imported into the UK from around 1875, many silver-plated. These are typical of Bernese filigree ornaments of that time, and it is unlikely that they were made much earlier than 1870.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Silver-plated filigree |
| Brief description | Pair of silver-plated filigree dress hooks, Berne (Switzerland), 1850-1870. |
| Physical description | Two silver-plated filigree discs, with a flat central dome, and applied arcs of beaded wire. On the back of each is a short length of wire, with one end coiled to make a loop, and the other bent into a hook. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Summary | The most characteristic element of Swiss traditional jewellery is the lavish use of chains and filigree. Göllerketten, meaning collar chains, are among the most characteristic kind. Originally Swiss women used laces to hold their detachable white linen collars in place, but by the 19th century they had switched to silver chains. They wore them in pairs, one on each side of the body. These chains linked the lower outside corners of the collar, at the front and back, by passing under the arm. At each end there was a decorative filigree hook, which was attached to the corners of the collar. These two decorative hooks were probably part of such Göllerketten. They were described as 18th century, from Berne, when they were acquired in Lausanne in 1870. The Bernese costume had been adopted as an unofficial Swiss national costume in the second half of the 19th century, and was very popular in the UK at that time for dressing-up. Large quantities of Bernese-style chains and filigree were imported into the UK from around 1875, many silver-plated. These are typical of Bernese filigree ornaments of that time, and it is unlikely that they were made much earlier than 1870. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 179:1,2-1870 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
