This beautiful little thing is one half of a shirt collar buckle for a type of shirt known as a biaude, which was a country-man’s working blouse, but also a piece of formal-wear for fete days and weddings. This piece has the ring side of the full buckle - the other side would have been identical but would have had the hook. At the back there are two little rings to allow it to be stitched onto one side of the collar. This was not for everyday use, and the biaude it went onto would have been special and may well have been indigo-dyed. Very often these were worn for weddings. This piece is in the form of a stylized scallop shell, called a coquille St Jacques in French, because it is the religious symbol of Saint James, he of the Way of Saint James/Camino del Santiago de Compostela. The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela has been popular for many centuries and there are major stops in France, notably in the medieval centre of Tours. The scallop shell became by association a symbol of faith, and was often etched or placed at entrance-ways and gates. I found several scallop shells deliberately placed under the floorboards in my attic, along with several coins, as protection against evil and magic and to protect the house against being robbed. I cleaned and smoked them and put them back under the new floor insulation to continue doing their work!
This is made from pressed silver. There is a silver stamp in the indentation on the forist large ring, and there would have been a corresponding stamp on the back of the hook on the matching missing element. It is approximately 2.8cm high and the interlocking rings are 5cm long. These make beautiful pendants.
Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.
To purchase, please contact me.
This beautiful little thing is one half of a shirt collar buckle for a type of shirt known as a biaude, which was a country-man’s working blouse, but also a piece of formal-wear for fete days and weddings. This piece has the ring side of the full buckle - the other side would have been identical but would have had the hook. At the back there are two little rings to allow it to be stitched onto one side of the collar. This was not for everyday use, and the biaude it went onto would have been special and may well have been indigo-dyed. Very often these were worn for weddings. This piece is in the form of a stylized scallop shell, called a coquille St Jacques in French, because it is the religious symbol of Saint James, he of the Way of Saint James/Camino del Santiago de Compostela. The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela has been popular for many centuries and there are major stops in France, notably in the medieval centre of Tours. The scallop shell became by association a symbol of faith, and was often etched or placed at entrance-ways and gates. I found several scallop shells deliberately placed under the floorboards in my attic, along with several coins, as protection against evil and magic and to protect the house against being robbed. I cleaned and smoked them and put them back under the new floor insulation to continue doing their work!
This is made from pressed silver. There is a silver stamp in the indentation on the forist large ring, and there would have been a corresponding stamp on the back of the hook on the matching missing element. It is approximately 2.8cm high and the interlocking rings are 5cm long. These make beautiful pendants.
Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.
To purchase, please contact me.
