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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i know these as "Mandarin hat buttons" -chinese court insignia of rank when mounted on the pinnacle of an embroidered silk hat. each stone represents a different meaning-
This style is Tibetan, not Chinese. There are similarities but the metal work on this one is for the Tibetan's .. The Chinese ones sometimes use Coral too but the silver or gold work it's self is of a different nature if used on Chinese hats. Everything done in Chinese culture as in Tibetan has ranking specifics.
do you have an image showing this type in use in a tibetan context? i would very much like to see it being worn on a hat. or a reference to an illustration in a book?
I would probably have it in one of my books some place but I'm not in a position time wise to look for it now. Later on if I come across it I will post it .
Yes, a hat-knob for a Tibetan official. We show a variant of this in Truus's *Ethnic Jewelry and Adornment*, p. 290. There is a very elaborate example also in Valrey Reynolds, *Tibet: A Lost World*, p. 45; and there are other documented examples not that difficult to find.
This is called a shalok.
Think you for showing this very beautifull and interrsting piece!