Red-haired woman in forest wearing white shirt and a contemporary leather brooch by Sanna Svedestedt

Cameo Armour

It’s the things in life that are fragile that make us stronger.
Read more
Black art jewellery leather brooch in an oval shape on white background

Layers no. 1 - leather brooch

  • year: 2022
  • type: Brooch
  • material: Naturally tanned reindeer leather, dye, lacquer (pin is steel and rubber)
  • size: 8 x 13 cm
  • technique: Wet molding, hand cut, Cuir Bouilli, hand dyed
Black art jewellery leather necklace, lace pattern with circulare holes, on white background

Cameo Armour Series - leather neckpiece

  • year: 2017
  • type: Neckpiece
  • material: Naturally tanned reindeer leather, dye, leather cords
  • size: Length 60 cm (Largest shape 8x6x2 cm and smallest shape 3.5×2.5×1.5 cm)
  • technique: Wet molding, hand cut, Cuir Bouilli, hand dyed
Black art jewellery leather brooch, lace pattern with circulare holes, on white background

Cameo Armour Series no. 1 - leather brooch

  • year: 2017
  • type: Brooch
  • material: Naturally tanned reindeer leather, dye
  • size: 25 x 15 x 3 cm
  • technique: Wet molding, hand cut, Cuir Bouilli, hand dyed
art jewellery leather brooch, lace pattern with circulare holes, on white background

Cameo Armour Series no. 2 - leather brooch

  • year: 2017
  • type: Brooch
  • material: Naturally tanned reindeer leather
  • size: 16 x 10 x 3 cm
  • technique: Wet molding, hand cut, Cuir Bouilli
Art jewellery leather brooch, lace pattern with circulare holes, on white background

Cameo Armour Series no. 3 - leather brooch

  • year: 2017
  • type: Brooch
  • material: Naturally tanned reindeer leather
  • size: 10 x 6 x 1 cm
  • technique: Wet molding, hand cut, Cuir Bouilli
Red art jewellery leather brooch, lace pattern with circulare holes, on white background

Cameo Armour Series no. 4 - leather brooch

  • year: 2017
  • type: Brooch
  • material: Naturally tanned reindeer leather, dye
  • size: 11 x 8 x 2.5 cm
  • technique: Wet molding, hand cut, Cuir Bouilli, hand dyed
Small black art jewellery leather brooch, lace pattern with circulare holes, on white background

Cameo Armour Series no. 5 - leather brooch

  • year: 2018
  • type: Brooch
  • material: Naturally tanned reindeer leather, dye
  • size: 6 x 9 x 1 cm
  • technique: Wet molding, hand cut, Cuir Bouilli, hand dyed
Black art jewellery leather brooch, lace pattern with circulare holes, on white background

Cameo Armour Series no. 6 - leather brooch

  • year: 2018
  • type: Brooch
  • material: Naturally tanned reindeer leather, dye
  • size: 14 x 8 x 3 cm
  • technique: Wet molding, hand cut, Cuir Bouilli, hand dyed
Red art jewellery leather brooch, lace pattern with circulare holes, on white background

Cameo Armour Series no. 7 - leather brooch

  • year: 2018
  • type: Brooch
  • material: Naturally tanned reindeer leather
  • size: 14 x 8 x 3 cm
  • technique: Wet molding, hand cut, Cuir Bouilli
Red art jewellery leather brooch, lace pattern with circulare holes, on white background

Cameo Armour Series no. 8 - leather brooch

  • year: 2018
  • type: Brooch
  • material: Naturally tanned reindeer leather
  • size: 20 x 14 x 2.5 cm
  • technique: Wet molding, hand cut, Cuir Bouilli
Black art jewellery leather brooch, lace pattern with circulare holes, on white background

Cameo Armour Series no. 9 - leather brooch

  • year: 2018
  • type: Brooch
  • material: Naturally tanned reindeer leather, dye
  • size: 20 x 14 x 2 cm
  • technique: Wet molding, hand cut, Cuir Bouilli, hand dyed

The technique I use in my leather work is often claimed to have been used in the process of making protective armour. The leather is treated with boiling water and hardens. In my work I use thin leathers in which I cut a delicate pattern before I harden it with water.

I like to think of these brooches as a kind of delicate armour. Sometimes it is the things in life that are fragile that makes us stronger.