Headgear - Balıkesir / Turkey. - Gallery

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Headgear - Balıkesir / Turkey.

Posted by Jean-Marie Criel on February 12, 2016 at 1:27am

Traditional festive headgear from the central district of the Balıkesir province. Dating: early 20th century. The ‘alınlık’ (jewel on the forehead) and the ‘gerdanlık’ (necklace) are made of silver, with glass pearls and set coloured glass paste. (Inv.nr. ba$021 - Kavak Costume Collection-Antwerpen/Belgium).

Comments

Lynn Ardent February 16, 2016 at 12:56am

Another fantastic photo. Do you know if the necklace / kirdan / gerdanlik was originally created with the glass beads between the silver spacers, or if that was a later rearrangement?
Jean-Marie Criel February 16, 2016 at 4:44am

Hello, Lynn. Answering your question: in the 1996-1998 period we (my partner and I) bought six or seven of these rural necklaces, in Bursa (from several 'eskici'/'second class' antique sellers), and another one in Istanbul (from an 'eskici' too), and all (!) of them had glass/turquoise/coral beads between the silver spacers. Therefore, I am quite sure that the arrangements are original (made in the villages). Furthermore: several of the strings were so old and worn-out, that we had to restring the necklaces in order to use them during our folk dance appearances. I don’t think that an ‘eskici’ would restring and rearrange such necklace with old/worn-out cotton cord; he would use new and strong material, since the greater part of his customers are tourists – Turkish and foreigner – in search of a typical souvenir (and not collectors that he would want to deceive).

My conclusion: these necklaces-with-beads are the poor-people-version of the much richer necklaces (originating from richer households) that can be seen in museums (one picture from the Izmir Ethnographic Museum added as reference).

Best greetings, Jean-Marie.
Lynn Ardent February 16, 2016 at 5:18am

Thank you Jean-Marie for a most informative reply!! That is fantastic to know that they must be original because you were finding them with old and worn-out stringing.
Betty February 17, 2016 at 4:12pm

Very interesting discussion.

I have a necklace (maybe just a fragment) which looks very similar to the one in your picture.

Here's a photo of mine - what do you think?

https://ethnicjewels.ning.com/photo/remains-of-another-day?