Gallery

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Belt - Transylvania-Romania

Posted by Peter Hoesli on July 20, 2015 at 9:22pm

This is an absolutely huge (Length: 112cm) belt from Transylvania, 19th Century. Silver. 10 rosettes with various silver and gold layers and red stones have been mounted on a brocade and then on red velvet. The huge buckle with an acanthus design is still showing remainders of the gilding. The belt is hallmarked with a Diana head from 1867 and a master mark, which I was not yet able to decipher. The belt is closed with a very nicely patterned silver chain with an attached Austrian silver coin from 1737. With a width of 10cm, this belt is way oversized to other examples of the same type and therefore, very rare.

Comments

Peter Hoesli July 20, 2015 at 9:27pm
Alaa eddine SAGID July 20, 2015 at 10:08pm

gorgeous and important piece!
Betty July 21, 2015 at 2:58pm

Fabulous, Peter! This looks like this might be a piece by the so-called "Siebenbürgener Sachsen" who immigrated from Germany to Transylvania/Romania. They also wore head decorations which were fastened with hairpins (called "Bockelnadel) which looked very similar to the rosettes on this buckle. Here is a picture of a young lady wearing such head decoration:
Betty July 21, 2015 at 3:10pm

I am pasting in a link featuring an evaluation of a similar belt (unfortunately only in German):

http://www.br.de/fernsehen/bayerisches-fernsehen/sendungen/kunst-un...
Peter Hoesli July 21, 2015 at 8:35pm

Dear Betty; Many thanks for the link. This is a gorgeous belt as well (I love the colored stones - they are very luxy) and I assume of the same origin as mine. However, this belt is of the regular size, whereby mine is almost double the width, which makes it special and rare. The head decoration is just stunning! With kind regards and thanks for the efforts of "digging out" the photos of these beauties. Peter
Alaa eddine SAGID July 21, 2015 at 8:44pm

GREAT material Betty
Alaa eddine SAGID July 21, 2015 at 8:52pm

@Betty

My german is veryvery limited, but that belt is just worth a museum exhibit!!!Wow

I could catch some details such as the hair accessories reminescent of the belt appliques, the details of the belt buckle to make difference between 19th century examples and older ones, the use of rather glass and garnet rather than precious stones and possibly the estimate price for past auction sales: 700/800 euros ? is that right?
Peter Hoesli July 21, 2015 at 9:00pm

Dear Alaa; There is one of these belts (regular size) on eBay under Hungarian/Polish sword belt, selling for USD4,200.-. They are now becoming extremely expensive. I bought mine in a German auction on after sales at a reduced price but it was still very expensive and definitely not in the range of Euros 700-800. With kind regards. Peter
Alaa eddine SAGID July 21, 2015 at 9:08pm

Dear Peter: thanx for the headups, no doubt that these beauties and rarities do match a price, they are gorgeous.

I was actually commenting back on Betty's link of a video hereunder where an expert is assessing a similar belt on a german tv show. Did you see it?

I don't understand German but could catch a word far and between and was asking Betty to confirm the info i could gather from my limited language skills. I understood that the expert said that at past auctions similar belts sell in that price range but honestly i am not sure!!!
Peter Hoesli July 21, 2015 at 9:13pm

Dear Alaa; The estimate is from 5 years ago and set as of Euro 800.-. Oh well, times have changed. I would love to have the head gear, which Betty has pictured..... With kind regards. Peter