About Arva Sweden

With focus set on handcrafted quality, beauty and symbolism, Arva Sweden offers modern silver and gold jewelry. Ethical and aesthetic considerations are combined with a story, brimming with intrinsic symbolic values.

What’s in a name?

The word ‘arva’ is an old form of the Swedish word ‘arv’ – meaning heritage – most commonly used in the expression arvasilver, an heirloom of silver. Inherited items, especially those made of precious metals, were considered to possess magical powers, or even hold a piece of the ancestor’s spirit. The inspiration for the design also is derived from our heritage. The high, handcrafted quality and the design of Arva items, in combination with the bearer’s story, such as the particular occasion on which it was given, make them worthy of passing on to future generations.

Our sources of inspiration

The main sources of inspiration for the designs are Swedish folk art, folk beliefs and traditions. The first collection,  Love carvings, is inspired by patterns found on wooden love tokens.

Patterns: Making life more beautiful

The urge to decorate our surroundings and make everyday objects beautiful by carving and painting, usually with geometric patterns or motifs from nature, is something we share with most cultures. Many of the most beautiful items were the ones given as love tokens or wedding gifts. The whole process of wooing often comprised handmade, useful gifts, like intricately carved flax distaffs (a detachable part of the spinning-wheel), clap-boards for washing or cheese moulds. Many of the patterns are inspired by objects made in the 19th century, but some objects date back to the 15th century.

Picture of a mangle board from 1726

Magical thinking and folk beliefs

During the Romantic era, around the late 18th and the 19th century, magical thinking was thriving, especially in the countryside. Beliefs and traditions with old roots and social values coexisted with different religions. Many of them came up as attempts to understand the world and explain strange natural phenomena. Other beliefs and traditions stem from teaching the children to care for the environment and to be humble about what cannot be explained. Our Nordic neighboring countries share similar traditions and folklore.
These sources of inspiration are national treasures worth sharing.

Painting Tuvstarr, Skutt and the Hulder by Swedish artist John Bauer, 1913