A digital archive showcasing the extensive collection of jewellery and adornment images shared on the former Ethnic Jewels Ning site over the years. These images have significantly enriched discussions on cultural adornment and its global dispersion.
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Does anyone have any idea of the likely age of these? They look like antique work to me.
nice necklaces. aboiut the age, it is difficult. they look very old to me, i have a necklace with semilar small edged beads too. i couldnt identifie the age. it is maybe 1940 more or less
A O, thank you. Would you say they are Yemeni?
yes i will say yemeni. i have a yemeni necklace ( i already posted) with the same edged beads
https://ethnicjewels.ning.com/photo/yemeni-necklace-detail-3?context...
Hi Frankie, I think they are yemeni jewish necklaces with mixed beads from Bedihi and Bawsani families.
The berry beads are Bedihi and the big ones with filigree and rosettes are Bawsani beads, coming from the jewellers that used to live in the sorroundings of Sana´a, in Bayt Baws.
The weaved open beads that are jewish too and very appreciated in Yemen.
About the age they must be at least from 1920 -40, just before the big emigration to Israel.
They are really nice pieces!!!
Oh, good, Frankie, I see that Veronica has helped you identify the beads. I recognize the Bawsani beads, but Veronica knows more about the identity of the others and I am glad she advised you on this.
Unless the silver of the beads was tested and proved to be sterling, I doubt that they are. The silver available to the Yemeni silversmiths of that time was the melted jewelry of the former generations and that earlier jewelry was made from Maria Theresa thalers that were never sterling, but about 0.850 at best. That does not in any way detract from their value and Yemeni jewelry is not sold by the weight or silver content in the Western world.
Its value is in its beauty and rarity. These are two very lovely pieces. I congratulate you.
@Veronica, I thank you for giving a name to the dozens of the Bedihi berry beads that I still have in my jewelry chests. Is that another word for Bedouin, by any chance? I never did learn any Western Arabic, only a bit of the Syrian dialect. And unfortunately I have forgotten what I learned except for a few widely known words.
Anna
Veronica, Anna, A-O, thank you SO much!
I am delighted at recognising the worth of these two necklaces which were not described as being so when I bought them. They were described as sterling silver and I have acid tested them myself. They show a deep red reaction which I have myself interpreted as sterling, too. But anyway I would love to think they were made from old thalers.
One thing that delights me is that they are all silver. I`ve not seen this in this type of Yemeni jewellery before and I always enjoy differences. As you can see, they are not very long. The seller suggested combining them to create one necklace, which I would do if It wren`t for losing one lovely central bead. A necklace plus bracelet is a possibility. Does anyone have any advice about this. I doubt I would EVER find anything to make up the missing part if that necklace were kept whole. Or is combining " sacriligeous"?
Goodness, I`m fairly preening! And how wonderful to be in contact with such generous people.
Anna, I believe that Bedihi was another family of Jewish silversmiths. Nowadays it`s a general term for the same style, which is and was characterised by very fine granulation. As opposed to Bawsani which is crafted mostly with filigree.
Good information. I have learned that the families often were named with links to their 'nationality' as we Americans would say. For example, I have a collection of hirzes that are signed by a Yemenite silversmith with the family name 'Iraqi.' Good to know of the makers behind the berry beads. I have signed ones in my collection, but they have never been translated. Thanks for this information.
In my collection nor in my books on Yemeni jewelry I have never seen a bracelet made with such beads. The bracelets are typically cuff bracelets, hinged bangles or simple bangles. A bracelet made of Bawsani beads and berry beads would be quite a radical departure from the Yemenite tradition. But if you never intend to sell the pieces, you have that freedom.
If you should ever wish to sell the pieces, they should be left intact, just as they are. Any rearrangement would have to be divulged, and many collectors would not be eager to buy them. But some certainly would, so weigh the choices and go with what pleases you.
As examples of some of the styles of Yemeni bracelets that I have on display online see http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/craftsofthepast/0/0/0/yemen%...
For an example of the signed berry beads that I have reconstructed into a necklace, see these two photos
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