Headband thumbnail 1
Headband thumbnail 2
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Not currently on display at the V&A

Headband

1730-1760 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

In the summer of 1809, a young English botanist, William Jackson Hooker, spent about two months travelling in Iceland, studying the natural history of the island. In his journal, he gave a detailed description of an Icelandic lady's wedding dress, 'one of the richest in the island [which I] had the good fortune to bring safe to England'. The V&A Museum bought an Icelandic wedding dress on 18 March 1869 from a 'Dr. Hooker'. Although not identified further, Dr Hooker most likely was Joseph D. Hooker, the distinguished naturalist and eldest son of William Hooker. The 'Hooker' costume, which consists of several separate garments, is in the general style of Icelandic festive costumes from the late 18th century. It is, however, extremely rich in decoration as well as in silver jewellery. It is the oldest known more or less complete Icelandic woman's costume in existence.

This headband was given to the museum by the same Dr Hooker in 1872, and can probably be identified with an ornate fillet, koffur, of gilt silver worn with the head-dress, described by Hooker as worked with filigree and carrying the initials of the wearer in front surmounted by a crown set with stones. If so, it may have formed part of the costume worn by Sigríður Magnúsdóttir at her wedding in 1761.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver-gilt filigree plaques, one set with garnets, attached to a band of gold lace
Brief description
Silver-gilt filigree headband (koffur) with the owners initials, Iceland, 1730-1760.
Physical description
Eleven rectangular silver-gilt filigree plaques sewn to a strip of gold lace. At one end is a shorter matching plaque with three initials of filigree wire in cursive script in the centre, and a crown set with garnets above. Each of the plaques consists of a thin backplate of sheet silver, gilded on the front, in a frame of gallery wire. The open filigree design is riveted to the backplate.
Dimensions
  • Length: 50.5cm
  • Width: 3.4cm
  • Depth: 0.7cm
Marks and inscriptions
Three letters, possibly 'S M D', in cursive script (Part of the filigree design.)
Translation
Initials of the original owner
Credit line
Gift of Dr Hooker
Subject depicted
Summary
In the summer of 1809, a young English botanist, William Jackson Hooker, spent about two months travelling in Iceland, studying the natural history of the island. In his journal, he gave a detailed description of an Icelandic lady's wedding dress, 'one of the richest in the island [which I] had the good fortune to bring safe to England'. The V&A Museum bought an Icelandic wedding dress on 18 March 1869 from a 'Dr. Hooker'. Although not identified further, Dr Hooker most likely was Joseph D. Hooker, the distinguished naturalist and eldest son of William Hooker. The 'Hooker' costume, which consists of several separate garments, is in the general style of Icelandic festive costumes from the late 18th century. It is, however, extremely rich in decoration as well as in silver jewellery. It is the oldest known more or less complete Icelandic woman's costume in existence.

This headband was given to the museum by the same Dr Hooker in 1872, and can probably be identified with an ornate fillet, koffur, of gilt silver worn with the head-dress, described by Hooker as worked with filigree and carrying the initials of the wearer in front surmounted by a crown set with stones. If so, it may have formed part of the costume worn by Sigríður Magnúsdóttir at her wedding in 1761.
Associated object
258-1869 (Ensemble)
Collection
Accession number
883-1872

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
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