Viking Oval Brooch with Intertwined Beasts
Specifications
| Color | Silver |
| Material | Alloy, antique silver finish |
- For: men & women (adults)
- Antique-silver alloy, openwork, pin on the back
- Free shipping from 49€ · secure payment
The Shape of the Found Pieces
This oval, openwork Viking brooch encloses ribbon-beasts knotted within a beaded frame that surrounds it. The elongated shape stretches the composition: the animals spread out instead of rotating in a wheel as they would on a disc. The metal is pierced between the motifs, so that the fabric appears in the voids. Find it in our collection of Viking fibulae and brooches.
The same openwork design in a round format can be found on the round brooch.
What Distinguishes This Brooch
The oval shape is not an arbitrary aesthetic choice: it is that of period Scandinavian brooches.
- The format of archaeological finds: female brooches from the Viking Age are oval, not round. This one keeps the silhouette without the dome.
- A complete beaded frame: the string of beads goes all the way around without interruption, which closes the motif.
- Stretched beasts: the elongation allows the bodies to spread out instead of coiling them.
- Openwork: the garment is visible in the gaps and changes the visual experience depending on its color.
For an even more pronounced horizontal format, see the rectangular fibula.
Features
- Material: Alloy with an antique silver finish
- Fastening: Straight pin on the back with a clasp
- Workmanship: Openwork, beaded frame
- Worn on: Cape, shawl, coat, jacket lapel
- Care: Dry cloth, avoid water and perfumes
Did you know?
Scandinavian oval brooches were mass-produced, and archaeology can prove it. Excavations in Ribe, Denmark, have yielded fragments of clay molds that were used to cast these pieces by the dozen using the lost-wax method. Some brooches found hundreds of kilometers apart come from the same model — they can be paired just like two prints of the same engraving. The production of Viking jewelry was an organized craft, not a unique piece per blacksmith.
📖 To learn more: Discover our Viking jewelry guide.
♦ Complete Your Viking Collection
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Brooch or hair barrette: which one to choose?
| Type | Where it is worn | What you need to know |
|---|---|---|
| Garment brooch (fibula) this product | On a cloak, a shawl, a coat or a jacket lapel. | These are the largest pieces in the range. Six close with a straight pin and a clasp; two are penannular: an open ring locked by the tension of the fabric, with no spring to wear out. |
| Barrette with a hair stick | In a bun, a braid or a half-up ponytail. | Two pieces: the plate sits on the hair, the stick goes through the lock and holds everything in place. You need enough hair for the stick to go through: with hair shorter than shoulder length, the hold becomes uncertain. |
| Light barrette or clip | On medium-length hair, including fine hair. | The filigree models have a small chain that holds the stick; the flat barrettes close with a clip and need no minimum length. These are the most discreet pieces and the easiest to put in. |
| Medallion barrette | Flat on a half-up ponytail or a low bun. | A solid disc that sits on the gathered lock instead of going through it. It is the shape that needs the least hair length, and the only one that shows a scene rather than an ornament. |
How to wear it
There is no size to choose. A brooch (fibula) is fastened to the fabric, not to the body: the only question is the cloth.
The six straight-pin models are worn like a classic brooch: push the pin through the fabric and close the clasp. They suit a jacket lapel, a shawl or a thick scarf.
The two penannular models (the open ring crossed by a long pin) work differently: pass the pin through the cloth, turn it a quarter turn, and the tension of the garment locks it against the ring. The more the cloak pulls, the tighter it holds. It is the most secure fastening on heavy wool, and the one with no mechanical part to break.
On thin fabric, any pin leaves a mark. These pieces are made for broadcloth, wool and thick linen, not for silk or fine knits.
Care: dry cloth. Avoid water, perfume and silver polish, which remove the patina lodged in the hollows: it is what gives the design all its relief.
How does it differ from the round brooch?
In its shape and in the rhythm of the design: the oval lengthens the composition, and the beasts stretch out instead of circling like a wheel. The frame is beaded all the way around.
Is it openwork like the round one?
Yes, the metal is pierced between the ribbons. The fabric shows through the gaps and becomes part of the design.
How big is it?
It is a mid-sized piece, wider than it is tall. It takes up less space than a disc with the same visible surface.
How does it fasten?
With a straight pin mounted on the back, with a clasp.
Delivery — Allow 7 to 15 business days for mainland France, 10 to 20 days for the European Union. Free delivery on orders over €49.
Delivery guarantee — If your parcel is not delivered within 60 business days, we will provide an immediate reshipment or a full refund.
14-day returns — You have 14 calendar days from receipt to request an exchange or refund. The item must be returned within this period, in its original packaging.
Legal guarantees — All our products are covered by the legal guarantee of conformity and the guarantee against hidden defects, in accordance with the Consumer Code and the Civil Code.
