Folke Helle (Sølvsmeden på Finnøy)
Folke Helle is a master filigree silversmith associated with the family workshop known as Sølvsmeden på Finnøy. Its own range includes bunad silver for Rogaland, Vest-Agder, Åmli and Sirdal.
Family history and Finnøy
His father Hallvard Helle received permission to practise silverwork in 1956. Folke took over the family workshop in 1981. He and Bjørg Helen moved to Finnøy in 1985, a separate milestone from the takeover. The Norwegian master craftsman board's magazine profiled the family business for its fortieth anniversary on Finnøy in 2025. Daughter Anita continues the craft in the third generation.
Identifying bunad silver
Filigree is central to the workshop's craft, but the technique alone identifies no maker. When recording second-hand bunad silver, distinguish the silversmith, the costume tradition and any retailer. Document marks, dimensions and provenance. A regional motif or an oral association with Finnøy is insufficient grounds for attributing an older object to either Folke or Hallvard Helle.
