Hair Pin
1800-1870 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Few women in Europe cut their hair before the 20th century. They kept it in order by twisting or braiding it, often mixed with coloured ribbons, and held it in place with hair pins. These came in many shapes and sizes, depending on the local fashion. Hair pins worn with traditional dress were usually large and decorative. They were made of silver, sometimes set with coloured stones, and often matched their owner’s other jewellery.
In Austria and South Germany women often wore a small cap at the back of their head, richly decorated with gold thread. This was held in place by a large hair pin, like this one, with a decorative filigree head, and a blunt end. Special holes, like button holes, were cut in the cap to allow the pin to pass through easily, and prevent it from damaging the expensive fabric.
Filigree is one of the commonest elements of traditional jewellery from the south German region. The swirling shape of the petals round the central garnet on this pin is typical of filigree from the region, as is the flat-cut garnet itself. They are found on buttons and choker clasps as well as hair pins.
In Austria and South Germany women often wore a small cap at the back of their head, richly decorated with gold thread. This was held in place by a large hair pin, like this one, with a decorative filigree head, and a blunt end. Special holes, like button holes, were cut in the cap to allow the pin to pass through easily, and prevent it from damaging the expensive fabric.
Filigree is one of the commonest elements of traditional jewellery from the south German region. The swirling shape of the petals round the central garnet on this pin is typical of filigree from the region, as is the flat-cut garnet itself. They are found on buttons and choker clasps as well as hair pins.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Silver-gilt with silver filigree and garnet |
Brief description | Silver-gilt hair pin with filigree and garnet head, South Germany or Austria, 19th century. |
Physical description | Silver-gilt hair pin with broad flat stem widening at the top to form the circular base for an attached silver filigree rosette decorated with granulated disks and lozenges surrounding a central square-cut garnet. |
Dimensions |
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Production | Worn by women in the south German region |
Summary | Few women in Europe cut their hair before the 20th century. They kept it in order by twisting or braiding it, often mixed with coloured ribbons, and held it in place with hair pins. These came in many shapes and sizes, depending on the local fashion. Hair pins worn with traditional dress were usually large and decorative. They were made of silver, sometimes set with coloured stones, and often matched their owner’s other jewellery. In Austria and South Germany women often wore a small cap at the back of their head, richly decorated with gold thread. This was held in place by a large hair pin, like this one, with a decorative filigree head, and a blunt end. Special holes, like button holes, were cut in the cap to allow the pin to pass through easily, and prevent it from damaging the expensive fabric. Filigree is one of the commonest elements of traditional jewellery from the south German region. The swirling shape of the petals round the central garnet on this pin is typical of filigree from the region, as is the flat-cut garnet itself. They are found on buttons and choker clasps as well as hair pins. |
Collection | |
Accession number | 158-1872 |
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Record created | October 5, 2007 |
Record URL |
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