Pair of Shoulder Pins thumbnail 1
Pair of Shoulder Pins thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Pair of Shoulder Pins

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

Silver shoulder pins (tinkhup) were used to secure the ends of women's dress garments (kira) in Bhutan before the arrival of round shoulder brooches (koma) in the early 20th century. The two swivel pins hung at each front shoulder, while the meshed wire chains joining them lay across the woman's back.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Embossed and chased silver
Brief description
Dress pins, silver, early 19th century, Bhutan.
Physical description
Two pennanular silver dress pins joined by silver chain.
Historical context
Used by women in Bhutan to secure their dress garment or kira befor the advent of the round koma brooches in the 20th century. Two long pins joined the ends of the kira at each front shoulder, the long double strand of meshed silver wire joining them hung across the woman's back.
Production
Acquired in Sikkim but of the type used in Bhutan
Summary
Silver shoulder pins (tinkhup) were used to secure the ends of women's dress garments (kira) in Bhutan before the arrival of round shoulder brooches (koma) in the early 20th century. The two swivel pins hung at each front shoulder, while the meshed wire chains joining them lay across the woman's back.
Bibliographic reference
John Clarke: Jewellery of Tibet and Himalayas, V&A Publications ISBN 1 85177 4238, 2004, page 105, no.103.
Collection
Accession number
03071(IS)

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Record createdFebruary 19, 2003
Record URL
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