On Tuesday, July 22, Livsreise hosted Anne Kari Salbu co-owner of Sylvsmidja, the largest maker of bunad jewelry in Norway.
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
On Tuesday, July 22, Livsreise hosted Anne Kari Salbu co-owner of Sylvsmidja, the largest maker of bunad jewelry in Norway. The company was founded in 1940 in Voss, by her grandfather, Leif Johannessen. Leif was born and raised in Bergen, where he showed exceptional talent for goldsmithing. While others around him became sailors and fishermen, he set his sights on Oslo to work for the most prominent Norwegian jeweler at that time. He later moved back to Bergen where he taught at Bergen Academy of Art and Design, earning great respect from his students and colleagues.
In 1917, at the age of 25, he started his own workshop in the city. Over time, he gained a strong reputation and recognition as a skilled craftsman. When King Harald V of Norway was baptized in 1937, Leif was asked to create the baptism gift on the behalf of the municipality of Bergen.
As the World War II began, Leif and his family decided to move to Voss, believing it would be safer than Bergen. Unfortunately, Voss was badly hit by the war, but Leif still managed to start his own business in a tiny room in the town. He ran the business together with his wife Betzy, until their sons, Einar and Thorleif took over in 1962.
Today, Sylvsmidja is owned by Leif’s grandchildren Susan, Anne-Kari, and his great-grand daughter Jade Camilla.
After Kari’s presentation, Goldsmith Anders Fagerthun, gave a short overview of the other Sylvsmidja collections which include a contemporary one called Spor, and the Sagastad Viking-inspired jewelry. In honor if the bicentennial of the first Norwegian immigration to North America this year, the Crossings 200 collection is also available.
Category: Miscellaneous