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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Never seen one like this before, always without the Lion. Special Betty.
Thanks Ingrid. I meant to ask you about the depiction of the lion. I have actually seen it before (not long ago on the site of an ebay seller from Ethiopia, if I remember right), but I am not sure whether it was not perhaps added later to make it more attractive to foreigners (Rastafari-fans etc.).
Betty I do not think it to be originally there, because this lion claw is older than the time that these lions came into fashion in silver (like on spoons ,rings etc.) about the 1960 years. But never the less it looks good, an reverence to the lions claw I suppose. I think it enhanced it.
Nor do I, Ingrid. But as you say, its a well-placed decoration. What do you think, how old could the original pendant be? Are they still being made these days?
Betty, it is a bit guessing but I place it around 1940-50. What I have to mention though is that these claws are most probably Cervit or Bobcat claws. Lion claws are a lot heavier(thicker and larger). In the 1978 years they started to produce them in large quantities for the touristic market they were with smaller claws (I not sure what claws those were) and with a different way of decoration, open work but with silver. I will check if I may have one to show.
Yes, please do!
I was wondering whether these really were Lion claws. I compared them with some museum pieces I found online and as you say, there are obvious differences. Though I am of glad no lion was harmed for this piece, I feel equally sorry for the cervit or bobcat!
These pendants remind me a bit of southern German hunting jewellery, which often incorporates teeth of wild boar, claws and hoofs of all sorts of animals. I always look at them with a mixture of disgust and fascination...
it is a very nice pendant. Like you said too, I am fiercly not for using animals parts in jewellery nor elsewhere (this includes corals), as the worlds wild animals are getting extinct and need protection. I hope the bobcats did not suffer too much.
There is or was a lion claw pendant ( I think Victorian from India) for sale on ebay recently, I had to pass on even including it in my watches even though the setting was magnificent. Many years ago I purchased a couple of very old Uzbek pendants which were also graced with claws -- it is obviously a type of amulet that was popular all over our areas of interest for a certain period of time.
The Indian pieces sometimes look very similar to Ethiopian claw pendants, though I didn't see this particular one. If you still happen own the Uzbek pendants, Patricia, I would love to see them to widen my horizon :-). I can remember having seen Uzbek jewellery with claws. But I think you are right: protective animal pendants with claws and teeth seem to have been ubiquitous through times. It's easy to follow the believe of the hunter that they could benefit from the strength of the hunted animal, or simply show of their success...
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