According to the family tradition, Søren Kierkegaard gave this brooch decorated with birds and leaves to his fiancée Regine Olsen. The relationship between Søren Kierkegaard and Regine Olsen is regarded by many as one of the greatest love stories in world literature, because she had an immense impact on the writings of the great philosopher. He never lost sight of her in spite the fact that he was the one to break their engagement in the fall of 1841. In his testament he even stated: “min fordums Forlovede, Frue Regine Schlegel, arver ubetinget al den smule, jeg kan efterlade mig [...] Det jeg ønsker at udtrykke er, at for mig var og er en Forlovelse lige saa forpligtende som et Ægteskab, og at derfor mit Efterladenskab tilfalder hende aldeles som havde jeg være viet til hende.”

References: Søren Kierkegaard. 1855, 11 November 1955. Mindeudstilling. # 93. Flemming Chr. Nielsen: Alt blev godt betalt. (2000). # u17.

Provenance: The Høyernielsen-family, descendants of Kierkegaard's sister Nicoline.