Bidspirit auction | Early Shetland Silver Viking Longship

Early Shetland Silver Viking Longship Brooch - A mid-20th-century silver brooch depicting a stylized Viking longship. The brooch is cast in the form of a drakkar or longship, featuring a tall curved sail and high prow and stern terminals decorated with zoomorphic dragon heads. The hull is detailed with a series of impressed circular motifs representing shields along the gunwale, and the sail is finished with vertical textured lines to simulate fabric panels. The reverse of the brooch features a long pin stem secured by a C-clasp with a safety catch. The metal is stamped with the characters G.R. to the left of the pin and the word SILVER to the right. The design reflects the mid-century Scandinavian modern aesthetic common in early Shetland silver production. The company was founded in 1953 by Jack Rae and later incorporated under the name J.G. Rae Ltd by his son, Ken (Kenneth) Rae, whose initials GR (or JGR) frequently appear as a maker's or sponsor's mark stamped on their handcrafted silver pieces alongside official Scottish assay office hallmarks. Height: approximately 48 mm Width: approximately 35 mm.