Button, Iceland, 19th century (471-1901)

Lapland and Iceland are the most remote areas of north-west Europe. Their traditional jewellery retains many medieval characteristics lost elsewhere. Buttons and clasps were mostly used for decoration. Women in Iceland wore large buttons of this kind, typically in sets of three, to hold their decorative aprons in place at the waistband. Many were round or hemispherical, but shallow, drum-shaped buttons like this one are typically and uniquely Icelandic.

Icelandic silversmiths had worked occasionally in filigree since the Middle Ages, but by the middle of the 19th century it had become their favourite technique. This button shows all the characteristics of Icelandic filigree. The pattern is clear, regular, and slightly asymmetric. It has small pendant filigree hearts (three are missing) in the same technique. It is made of open filigree, which is riveted to the front of the hollow button, not soldered. It could only come from Iceland.

Hollow drum-shaped button decorated with open filigree on the front and sides. One large and two (originally five) smaller heart-shaped pendants of filigree hanging from the front.