Monday, September 30, 2013

70s jewellery - Jorma Laine

I've been admiring jewellery from the 70s for a long time, especially the work of Guy Vidal, Robert Larin, Pentti Sarpaneva and Jorma Laine. I especially love the brutalist pieces. Turns out I have a brooch by Jorma Laine! My mom reminded me last weekend. I've actually had it since I was in my teens. I got it as a gift from some much older cousins, but hated it back then. You know, the early 80s and all... If you're around my age, you're probably nodding! But isn't it great how we mature and learn to appreciate things? The brooch is made of bronze, then gold plated and oxidized. It was designed in the mid 70s. I'm normally a silver and steel person, jewellery- wise, but I think this has some nice folkloristic vibes and I'm glad to having rediscovered it. Those may be the same qualities I hated it for in the early eighties...

Jorma Laine (1930-2002) was a finnish jewelry designer, whose work in bronze and silver is easily recognizable. He developed a style of his own throughout the 60's and 70's, his pieces are very modernistic and often abstract. I see a lot of influences in my brooch, there's mythology, ancient times, bronze age, even some viking vibes! I love when a piece of design, even if very abstract, can produce all those images.

Laine attended the renowned art college Turun Piirustuskoulu (Turku Art School). During his career he had his own company, Silver-Laine, but is perhaps best known for the designs he did for Turun Hopea. He also designed silver jewelry for Kultateollisuus. Laine is known for his forward-thinking modernist impulse, a decidedly “Finnish” nostalgia for the past, and individuality. After a successfull career in jewelry design, he retired to his cabin in the forest where he led a hermitlike life until he died of a heart attack in 2002, 72 years old.

Photographing the brooch was so much fun, it's like a sculpture, so here you have it from every angle:-)





 


MMMC challenged me over at Instagram to show it on. Well, I wore it to work today as a "button" on an otherwise button- less black jacket, with jeans and black boots, so this is for you, Carmel!


16 comments:

  1. This brooch is so beautiful! I am also a silver and steel jewelry person, but there are some pieces that need those warmer tones, right? I am glad you posted a picture wearing the piece because I didn't know it was a large brooch. It is gorgeous and I am glad the 80's are behind us :)

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  2. Thank you so much, Bea! It's so funny how things can grow on you, I almost threw it away at some point, can you believe it? I agree about those warmer tones. I tend to be one track minded when it comes to color, but a detour from the usual silver and steel was actually really good:-) I had a lot of fun in the 80s and I still looove the music, but style- wise, it was pure disaster!! Thanks again, Beatriz, I'm so glad you liked it!!

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  3. I love the jewelry designed by Sarpaneva and Laine. I look at it on eBay all the time and will find the perfect piece someday. I'm so glad you hung onto that brooch. It's absolutely beautiful, and so are you! Thanks for modeling it for us!

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    1. Oh, thank you Dana, you're so sweet! I hate having my picture taken, so this won't happen too often... I'm so glad you like the brooch, seems we don't only share the same taste in pottery:-) I dream of finding the perfect piece too, a large oxidized silver ring or brooch... Thanks again Dana!!

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  4. Nydelig brosje! Har en brutalist style brosje liggende selv et sted etter min mor, nå må jeg finne den fram:)

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    1. Å, den MÅ du vise, Mali!! Det blir spennende:-) Jeg har kost meg skikkelig med de gamle bladene, tusen takk igjen!!

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  5. Beautiful Tove!! I love those statement pieces and this one fits the bill rather nicely! Great movement and dimension in this piece. So glad you didn't toss it back in the day and you get to really enjoy it now.

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    1. Thank you so much, Francine!! It was the classic case of "you'll thank me later"! My mom didn't actually say it, she just kept it in her jewellery box for all those years. Now, after 30 years she proved the theory and I have thanked her:-)

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  6. Aren't you glad you kept it? It's truly lovely. I'd be wearing it all the time. It looks great on you too! xx

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    1. Thank you, Anita!!! Oh I am, I was beyond thrilled when mom reminded me that I have it! It's so great that parents sometimes keep us from doing stupid things, like throwing away a gem:-) xx

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  7. Wauhhhh, den er da helt fantastisk flot! Jeg har også for et stykke tid siden siddet og kigget på mine smykker fra 70´erne - konfirmationssmykker. Tror sådan set også, at jeg er ved at være klar til at gå med dem igen ;-)

    /Birgitte

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    1. Tusen takk, Birgitte!! Denne var også en konfirmasjonsgave:-) Jeg husker jeg syns den var altfor voksen og altfor "husflid" (vet ikke om dere har samme uttrykk)! Jammen godt den ikke gikk tapt, det var ihvertfall ikke min fortjeneste:-)
      Det ville være morsomt å se dine skatter fra 70årene, Birgitte!

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  8. So a bit of judicious hoarding can work out well! I had earrings of a similar style in the 80's so heavy i'm surprised my ear lobes dont graze the ground!
    I have small collection of silver scandinavian jewllery but i know nothing of the designers/makers so it's great to read your info here. Have a great weekend x
    Ps lovely photo of you, very similar to how i imagined you would look!

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    1. Thank you so much, Max:-) In the 80s my jewellery was mostly large pieces of plastic, so a finnish brutalist brooch did not fit in AT ALL... Good thing we mature:-) I'd love to see you scandi jewellery, maybe a post sometime? Wish you a wonderful weekend!! x

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  9. Love love love the brooch, got a thing for circles at the moment!
    Very nice to see you too! xx

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    1. Oh, SO glad you like it, Pippa!!! I adored your new bracelet too! I guess the brooch needed for me to mature to appreciate it. It was a great joy to rediscover it after 30 years! Oh goodness, saying that makes me feel so old...
      Have a WONDERFUL weekend, Pippa!!

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