Belt mount (beltestøl)
A beltestøl is a decorative fitting used on a Norwegian bunad belt. Several mounts may be arranged in succession along the belt. The term describes an individual component, rather than the complete belt or necessarily the fastening buckle.
Attachment and variation
Norsk Flid documents a Sylvsmidja mount with wire-edged pendants and attachment rings on its reverse, intended for a leather strip or fabric belt. This is one attachment method, to be checked on the actual piece. Mestergull shows another model with a three-tower motif and diamond-shaped pendants associated with the Nordmøre bunad. Designs and construction therefore vary with model and costume tradition.
Loose mounts and assembled belts
When buying separate fittings, compare width, height, attachment and finish with the intended belt. Examine pendants, rings, solder joints and distortion. Both catalogue examples specify 830 silver, but fineness needs documentation for each object. A regional motif alone establishes neither maker nor age, nor that every component of a second-hand belt originally belonged together.
