Featured Unusual sterling filigree brooch

Eh, 'Sølje' actually means 'brooch', in fairly recent times, it's come to be the term used for any bunadsølv (traditional Norwegian regional costume silver) with dangles - not really correct (does it make sense to call earrings or a pendant a 'brooch'?), but it's definitely common usage now.

This piece is a 'Mariasølje' (Mary brooch, referring to the Virgin Mary) or 'hjertesølje' (heart brooch) - a symbol of love, and often worn at weddings. Suspect this one has some decent age to it, possibly late 19th-early 20th century. Norwegian silver intended for the English-speaking market was sometimes stamped 'STERLING' (.830 would be typical quality for local use), possible that it was made in the U.S. (there were certainly plenty of Norwegian silversmiths here), but haven't really seen indication that they were making much bunadsølv - they were importing jewelry from Norway, and it was also sold at the Norwegian exhibits at World's Fairs, becoming quite popular. Similar traditional jewelry was also produced in other Nordic and Baltic countries, but the Norwegian was most commonly known, so much so that the German jewelry makers offered pieces made in the 'Norwegian style'...

~Cheryl

 

This is my solje! Bit of a quick photo.