Big news has come out of Stockholm in November. As Archaeology magazine highlights, a huge Viking silver hoard was found in a dig underneath an existing Viking settlement – one of the largest silver hoards ever found, and one of the most significant in some years. Read the story, Viking Silver On The Menu Once Again, But Sweden – And Scandinavia – Has A Quiet Antique Tradition.
This has brought a lot of attention to the world of archaeology and antiques, and rightly so – Viking artefacts have such an important impact, and especially so across northern Europe. However, keen observers will know that there’s a very well renowned and veteran antique tradition in the region.
Tradition in rugs
One of the most important artisan histories in Scandinavia concerns the matter of rug making. Rugs hold a treasured place in history and antique tradition due to their hard-wearing nature. While properly caring for a rug is necessary to maintain the quality of the product, it’s also true that renovation is relatively easy, enabling owners to preserve a bit of history. As House and Garden Magazine highlights, one of the most important types of rug in history is the Swedish flatweave. Original antiques from the likes of Märta Måås-Fjetterström can fetch up to $25,000 or more, and for good reason. Often designed in studios, they are an important part of Swedish manufacturing history and are a real trendsetter in the antiques world. An example of modern history, from the industrial age onwards, they’re a standout in any home.
A furniture boom
Across the Oresund in Denmark, there has, according to reports, been a surge in the disposal of priceless vintage furniture. According to Fast Company, Danes simply don’t want their vintage furniture, with one collector bringing in 10,000 pieces – many of them antiques. From the 1800s through to the vintage era of the 40s-60s, Danish furniture has long occupied a valuable space in the higher echelons of antique and vintage history. With furniture literally going to waste, there’s an industry popping up that will continue to raise the profile of the Scandinavian antiques.
Viking Silver On The Menu Once Again, But Sweden – And Scandinavia – Has A Quiet Antique Tradition, read on….
Protections in Norway
Further north and you come to Norway, where Queen Sonja has recently opened a new centre dedicated to preserving antiques. Norway has taken an increasingly progressive path towards the antiques industry in recent years, for instance with the 2017 return of a Buddhist idol to Myanmar. With the establishment of this latest initiative, the royal family will be finding ways to help protect the cultural history of Norway and, crucially, show it off to visitors. There are few better ways to flash off an antique history – especially as it gives visitors the chance to really engage with it and learn the history.
Viking chat dominates the airwaves when it comes to discussions of history. However, the nations that build the Scandinavian region have a lot more to offer than just that. Indeed, the artisan history and protection of antiques that takes place in institutes across the region is a great advert for Scandinavia.
Feature image (on top): Photo © Lucas Santos / Unsplash
Viking Silver On The Menu Once Again, But Sweden – And Scandinavia – Has A Quiet Antique Tradition, written exclusively for Daily Scandinavian by Karoline Gore. Karoline is a freelance writer from Stoke on Trent in the UK who left the corporate grind when she started a family and has never looked back. She enjoys contributing to a range of online publications on the topics that are important to her.