Sterling Silver Thistle Brooch

The thistle motif is shown to advantage in this penannular brooch, suitable as a shoulder or shawl brooch, or as an ornament on heavy tweeds. The brooch is sterling silver. The Thistle brooch is approximately 2¾ inches in diameter. Made in USA, exclusive to David Morgan.

The thistle motif is shown to advantage in this penannular brooch, suitable as a shoulder or shawl brooch, or as an ornament on heavy tweeds. The brooch is sterling silver. The Thistle brooch is approximately 2¾ inches in diameter. Made in USA, exclusive to David Morgan.

The thistle is the national flower of Scotland. At one time a band of English soldiers were sneaking up on a group of Scots at night when one of them stepped on a thistle and cried out, so alerting the Scots. Since then the thistle has held a place of honor in Scotland.

The penannular Welsh brooches were used in older times both as ornaments and to hold garments in place, much as the Scottish shoulder brooches and kilt pins. They came in a variety of sizes, from one to several inches in diameter. The designs ranged from plainly simple to highly ornamental, from primitive to sophisticated. The constant factor in the Welsh brooches is that they are functional and enduring, as attractive and useful today as they were through that long period when Celtic culture flourished throughout Europe.

The Welsh brooch is attached by first putting the pin through a fold in the material, then bringing the end of the pin beyond the fold up through the space in the circular section. The circular section is then rotated underneath the pin, and the point of the pin buried in the material.