Raimo Hautanen:

Brooch of our family society is a personal mark

As I started to design a brooch, I had a thought of using “a personal mark” as a motive. Living at Ilmajoki over twenty years, I’ve seen two family brooches used, the Könni ja the Jaakko Ilkka. Bot of the brooches are based on their ancestors’ personal marks. The strong bow of the Jaakko Ilkkas is also used in the Ilmajoki’s coat of arms.

A personal mark was used be ancestors before writing was introduced to sign contracts and agreements. For example the wooden dishes of houses were personally marked fo recognation. The walking-stick of the Oldest (of the village) had the personal marks of all the houses to give it credibility.

The personal marks of the Skrabb-Tallbacka family are introduced in Alajärven elämää -book (Living at Alajärvi), published the mid of the 1960’s. They are also found in the First part of the History of Järviseutu, where Skrabb-Tallbacka’s personal mark was simple “H”.

To my opinion a proper and esthetical drawing for the brooch was found in Alajärven elämää-book. The owner of personal mark is mentioned, below the picture, to be Johan Gustafson Skrabb. The mark is copied from the Museum of Alajärvi and it is dated between 17th to 18th century. I called to family-researcher, Heikki Koskela and asked if this person has existed. Heikki couldn’t find him from the list, but thought this person might have existed.

The symbol of our family society is an abstrct figure, where yo can find “T” and on half of “S” (the initials of Skrabb-Tallbacka). Hopefully the brooch og our family society finds acceptance and proud carriers among us. Why not expand the designing to other items of jewelry for example for women.

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Family pennant