Shirt stud

Although traditional jewellery was worn throughout Sweden, and has a distinct Swedish character, there are marked differences between the different provinces. Skåne province, in the extreme south of Sweden, has the richest tradition, and more jewellery was worn there than in any other district. Almost all the Swedish traditional jewellery at the V&A comes from Skåne.

Swedish men wore large stud buttons to keep the necks of their shirts snugly closed, and small buttons on their waistcoats. Women did not start wearing silver dress buttons until the 19th century. This stud button has a rounded front, decorated with filigree and coloured pastes. Swedish traditional jewellers made lavish use of coloured glass. It is typical of Skåne work from the 19th century.

It is marked with the griffin mark of Ystad, and the maker's mark HL. Håkan Lärka was a silversmith who specialised in traditional jewellery, who worked in Ystad from 1844 to 1873.