This belt ornament was widely assumed to be an Islamic face mask worn horizontally, until collector Howah Chen found several examples of the object online demonstrating that it was attached vertically over a cloth belt to make it look like a buckle. The back has some circlets etc that enabled the “buckle” to be attached… Continue Reading
The coins on this 730-gram chest piece, or pectoral, are dated 1897. The finely decorated silver is covered in gilt and colored glass stones. According to Raisa Ismailova, writing on Facebook and on the website Ethnic Jewels, these are often thought to originate from Azerbaijan, but – while they were undoubtedly worn there – they… Continue Reading
“These earrings made of turtle shell and suspended red (spondylus) shell discs come from the Massim area in Papua New Guinea. Each and every individual turtle shell ringlet has a small gap which is threaded through a woman’s stretched and enlarged ‘hole’ or piercing in her ear. She starts with one or two rings as… Continue Reading
The Nonyas were the Malay wives of men who had migrated from China. Continue Reading
The metallic part of this Tuareg comb was made in Morocco and is beautifully adapted to the simple wooden structure. Time, character, honesty and history define this piece. Continue Reading
In this piece, silver, niello and a deep-red glass stone make a robust visual impact. The fibula would have been one of a pair. A layer of brass supports the silver layer above. Sarah Corbett commented in 2011: “An anti-Atlas piece in the fabrication style of ida ou semial pieces, but I would chance that… Continue Reading
The tabzimt is well known as a traditional fibula from the Kabyle Berbers, who live in the coastal mountain regions of northern Algeria. Picture 2 shows the back of this piece. Continue Reading
Mongolian hair ornament, enameled silver with paste coral; probably Charhar group; late 19th c. or – perhaps more likely – early 20th c; width 9.5 cm. Acquired in 2015, with great gratitude, from Linda Pastorino, who had held it in her private collection. It’s even more sensational in reality than we had imagined, having admired… Continue Reading
Picture 1 shows a conch shell encased in silver and a turquoise end piece, while the hole on the other side (picture 2) enables the user to produce a deep, far-reaching sound by using the embouchure of a trumpet player. The horn was sounded to summon monks to prayer. Continue Reading
These long silver and coral tassels were traditionally most often used in Uzbekistan as belt ends. They could be attached to quite elaborate and complicated belts or form a belt with a very simple structure, as in this case, where the belt is in effect a chain. Continue Reading