Brooches: Lasses or Lads!

[sirdaniel1975]

I thought this might be a good idea, to start a thread on "brooches."
Lets showcase Historical pieces for lasses or lads and also display military specimens that maybe aren't in use today!



Lasses 17th -18th century brooch.


Here it is in use.

[Woodsheal]

Such annular (full circle) brooches are invariably described as women's items in period descriptions from the 17th and 18th centuries. Here's an example:
http://medievalscotland.org/clothing...nwiwomen.shtml

The men are described as fastening up their plaids with bodkins (pins), or buttoning them to their coats with a small loop of fabric.

But, a contradiction! This image of the Campbell chief from earlier in the 1600s clearly shows him fastening his plaid with a circular brooch:



Peter MacDonald, the clothing consultant for the movie Rob Roy (and a guy who clearly know his stuff!), chose to show highland men wearing "women's" brooches:



All of which has left me a tad confused! Clearly, men were wearing such brooches by the early 1900s, but images of men from the "Jacobite" period (mid-1600s to mid-1700s) do not show them....

[sirdaniel1975]

George Gunn (Crowner of Caithness & Chief of Gunn) in mid 1400's was known as "N’m Braistach-More", which means the "Big Brooched One." Crowner was a powerful Judge like position and it's badge of office was a big silver brooch.

Reference Chapter 5 of The History of Caithness here:
http://www.caithness.org/caithness/c...ness/index.htm

Here's the paragraph:

Chap. 5

This George was a man of commanding influence in the county at the time, and exercised the office of Crowner, from which circumstance he was commonly known by the title of Crowner or Cruner Gunn.Footnote 6 By Highlanders he was called “ N’m Braistach-More,” from a great silver brooch which he wore as the badge or cognisance of his office.

So there's another possible piece of evidence of a gent wearing a brooch. This one is 15th century....

[Rex_Tremende]

Here are four that I've pinched off the 'net when I was looking for some inspiration for something modern. I think all of them are historical but I have lost their sources. It's possible that the last one below is a more modern thing inspired by an older piece.

Regards, Rex.

[Dall_Piobaire]

I don't remember the source, sorry Brian, but I do remember reading the pre 17th century men wore the annular brooches, and gave them up for the bodkin in the late 17th century.

[sirdaniel1975]

Hunterston Brooch ca 700AD (Rex pictured a similar one)


The Brooch of Lorne
Formally Robert The Bruce's
Held by the MacDougalls

[Morris at Heathfield]

This is the Kingston Brooch, Kentish, ca. AD 630.