What Does Treasure Find Tell Us About Brooch History?
For a man to wear a statement brooch today says a lot about him; it demonstrates not just a certain standard of wealth or status, but a desire to be in the vanguard of a new fashion trend that was usually associated with women, as well as a willingness to be bold and to lead, rather than follow.
These considerations may get people thinking about just how brooch fashion has changed and what kind of statements having or giving one made in the past.
Some light may have been shed on French fashions and styles in later medieval times by a find in Norfolk, which an inquest has now declared to be treasure due to its gold content.
As Lynn News reports, the find, made by a metal detectorist near the village of Docking a year ago, turned out to be a yellow gold 13th-century French brooch, which due to its age and precious metal content meets the 1996 Treasure Act definition of treasure.
Of particular note was the French inscription, which translates as “between friend and friend is a sign”. This suggests that the statements made by brooches in 13th century France were not about an individual making a purchase, but gifts that signify friendship.
As the paper noted, this is far from a unique find, with others like it being found across the country. The word “amie”, meaning ‘friend’ in French, is a common feature of them.
Indeed, as Time and Treasure stated in its history of brooches, the medieval period was a time when gifting brooches became an expression of love and friendship. That this might be a platonic gesture rather than just a romantic one, however, suggests that the meanings attached to them have changed between that time and the modern day.
In that context, wearing a brooch now as a man wanting to make a statement may seem novel, but it is not about diverging from how (and by who) brooches ‘should’ be worn, since the cultural history of this form of jewellery has seen so much variation down the centuries.