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What is Solje Jewelry?

Solje pieces were used, at one time, to enhance Traditional Norwegian costumes, called Bunads. The Solje pieces were meant to represent the sun, and were worn on collars and cuffs, normally as brooches and pins. A Norwegian woman might have worn three pieces of this jewelry at once - one at her throat, one over her heart and another at the bodice opening. The art has evolved over time so that one can now find earrings, necklaces and other pieces of jewelry in the Solje style. Pieces of Solje jewelry were often given as wedding presents, Christening presents, etc.  Norwegian folklore indicates that they were used to keep wearers from harm, even to "ward off trolls."

The size of the piece of jewelry is an indication of the use that it may have had. Smaller pieces up to about 1" in size, such as the center photo shown below, were probably given as gifts to babies and children. Larger pieces were more likely worn by women. Men also wore Solje pieces as buckles on their shoes.

Since Solje jewelry is traditionally made from sterling silver, it will tarnish over time. Some care in storage and cleaning will be required if you wish to keep Solje jewelry looking fine. The first step in the procedure is storing your Solje jewelry in the original box if possible. If the original box is not available, store the piece in anti-tarnish paper, bag or cloth and place in an air tight container such as a zip lock bag, to reduce tarnishing.

I have read many articles on the cleaning of Solje jewelry and most of them recommend a silver dip. I don't believe this is a good idea, since these are often very harsh. My advice is to use sunshine cloths if the tarnish is not too great, or a cream style of silver cleaner and a soft, clean cloth, such as a piece from an old soft cotton T shirt. If your piece of Solje jewelry becomes dirty over time, a gentle soak in a mild detergent and warm water should do just fine. Be sure to dry it thoroughly before storing the piece. As with all jewelry, when you wear your Solje jewelry, put it on after using hairspray or perfume and this will decrease the likelihood of tarnish.

Examples of Solje Jewelry:

A kind customer of mine named Nancy Stensland has emailed me to let me know that sometimes what looks to be tarnish patina on a Nowegian solje is really that the silver was oxidized by the maker to give it a different less shiny finish. Thanks, Nancy!

To view other articles on other vintage words, please visit the word of the week archives.

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