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  Patricia Deany May 17, 2011 at 10:17pm

  This piece confuses me -- I guess because of the mother- of -pearl which seems out of place for Uzbek jewelery, and then there is the solidity of the piece, and it's simplicity which also does not jibe with my experience with uzbek jewelry which usually has a finer pattern of granulation and much more filigree work with smaller and more numerous stones, either turquoise or turquoise colored glass. If it were central asian at all, I would put it more into the Turkoman part of central asia because of its solidity but I wouldn't do that because it is clearly not Turkoman, nor Kazakhi. I wonder if it is closer to Tibetan or Nepali -- somewhere closer to China. That would be my guess.This is fun to do, although I am absolutely not an expert but I love mysteries! Now it could be half of a circular fibula set I guess, but again there is that mother of pearl and I don't think that North African stuff really uses that very much and I also don't think that the granulation looks North African,So, I guess I don't know, but I will search around and see if there is something like it to be found.
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  Ethnic Embellishments May 17, 2011 at 10:53pm

  Yes, it is quite the mystery piece.  I believe that it is one of a set as well.  I wear this piece often, especially at jewelry shows when we sell.  Someone actually told me that it was Scottish (in a "no ifs, ands, or buts" way!)  That would be the last on my list. Someone else suggested Algerian.  I don't think that it shows any Himalayan styling.  We have a large amulet container (almost the side of a hard-sided glasses container, it opens from either end) with niello work, supposedly from Uzbekistan, it has dangles of mother of pearl beads in *exactly* this shape and size.  Someone had a very similar piece listed on eBay as being from Georgia, though I am entirely unsure if this is correct.  Have you ever seen Tika Beads and Imports?  Julie is the owner and I see her almost every year at the Tucson show.  She has the most amazing Bukhari enamel set.  Full "helmet" crown, massive bracelets, wide belt, and the full chest pieces.  They have amethysts set with the lovely enamel work. It's a matched museum-quality set. She has lots of other gorgeous things too!
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  Patricia Deany May 17, 2011 at 11:00pm

  Actually,now that I think of it, Uzbek jewelry does use mother of pearl, certainly in a lot of the drops with coral -- But I have not seen inset mop. But hey, I haven't seen everything by any means. I don't think it is algerian-- I have only seen complete enamelled sets online and I once communicated with a very significant German collector ( her name escapes me now) who assured me that she had one packed away somewhere. I do have a complete wedding set, necklace, several types of earrings, diadem which I obtained from a dealer in Japan and I do every now and then buy a wedding necklace -- they are sometimes available and I cannot resist them even if they are missing stones. Scottish -- well I don't think so, they feature lots of agates in them, that is their specialty and they are not vegetally shaped like this one, they are usual geometric. Oh well, will look some more.