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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Linda, the enameled plaques on the far sides of the main buckle look strikingly like your belt boss that I admire so much, both in color and technique.
That's lovely. Interesting that the enamelling should once again be from the Caucasus, as in the case of the silver-gilt belt with enamel that definitely also comes from there which I occasionally show on our "Ethnic Jewellery and Adornment" page (always evoking strongly positive reactions). That enamelling, too, is somewhat slight, understated and subtle, as here - and it is very rare even on Caucasian belts, in contrast to the heavy enamelling found on Russian ones. (I think I have included it among my photos here, too.) While I know that your boss - to which Hillary refers - is commonly described as Uzbeki, e.g. by Kalter, I do find myself wondering whether even that could actually have been *made* in the Caucasus, for I agree with Hillary that one is reminded of that piece in looking at this, and it is conspicuous how enamelling seems to have been a Caucasian (though even more so Russian) habit rather than an Uzbeki one. At times, Caucasian enamelling can also be very pronounced, and even loud, as on the buckle we have so elaborately discussed, where it is as "full on" as in Russia. But anyway, this is a wonderful belt. The "purse" sections remind me strongly of the sort of thing people like my father (in Holland) still used in the 1940s, i.e. when I was very little, and even in the 50s. I would not have missed this photo for anything in the world - really wonderful!
This is all beautifully refined - really lovely!
Her is the Caucasian enamelled belt which I referred to, recently identified as coming from Tiflis (i.e. Russian Caucasus). We got very close to buying it from within Central Asia, but the buyer withdrew at the last moment, having some anxiety about customs problems. It is a gorgeous belt, with quite a bit of enamelling, though not "loud": https://ethnicjewels.ning.com/photo/caucasian-enamelled-and-gilt-sil...
I love this belt also and it is very personal , not a fancy piece but something really nice. I found it in the UK at a inside market in the days when this kind of thing was affordable. Even at the double rate of the pound. I was hemoraging money as it was the last time I was there about 8 years ago now, doing buying there and in Brussels. It seems like you can find good things abroad but the costs of travel, simple food and so forth was so expensve next to what we are used to in the states, that it increases the cost of doing business there by so much that when you find a good buy it evaporates in other expenses. I miss going to Europe to buy as one finds more interesting varations of things that don't make it to the states usually as the clients here seem to have less of an understanding of odd ball buying. The vendors who sell even say they don't come here like the Africans that drop the best in Paris obviously. It is quite a shock shopping and seeing such good material available. albeit always way more than here, but exceptional stuff should be expensive shouldn't it? if something is uncommon should it be sold for same as common stuff? not really. we wish so but it's not the case!
Yes, in Europe one does traditionally find some of the best things, and that still happens. To put it bluntly, the *general* public buying antiques etc is better educated than in the United States. I add, though, that those in the US, yourself of course included, who DO care and know are in my experience just as capable as the Europeans. But there are just far more people in Europe who know more about history, other cultures, etc - a different outlook and a different upbringing and education. I still profit greatly from the fact that I spent my first 26 years in Europe, not counting the many times I have been back since, which would add up to several years.