Gallery

Comments

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  Toya May 29, 2011 at 7:04pm

  You are so lucky to have found a pair of these beautiful bracelets.
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  Joost Daalder June 1, 2011 at 7:09am

  Nice, ayis. Please have a look at another huge pair, with coral and fine silverwork but no enamel, which we posted a short while back on Facebook: "Ethnic Jewellery and Adornment".
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  Alaa eddine SAGID June 1, 2011 at 10:02am

  well i am still researching the origin of these bracelets and the only thing i can say now for sure is that they are probably not Kabyle.

   

  These could be very well from the  north eastern algeria "chaouia" berbere who have only "heard about" the enamel and virtually never used

   

  in these anklets one can see somme coulours in colours alien to what kabyle patronised

   

  I saw your early pair JOOST on facebook, this a nice one...it recalled me a wonderful pair i missed on an auction sale in paris wich was very very early and bore the biggest oral chunks i ever seen and the detail in the workmanship was fabulous and deep (you cannot miss early jewellery features)

   

  warmest wishes
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  Joost Daalder June 1, 2011 at 10:19am

  I think you are very safe in having used Algerian rather than Kabyle, as one would only wish to use "Kabyle" is one felt ultra confident. What do you make of the traces of colour? I find them puzzling - almost as though someone had painted them at some stage. They are good pieces, and definitely Algerian, but I must admit that - instinctively rather than analytically - also felt that they were not Kabyle. As you say, the colours are alien to what the Kabyle used. And it looks as though the material is paint rather than enamels! The ones we have on FB ARE clearly Kabyle, but with no colour whatever (other than what's provided by the corals). The way yours close is also interesting. I think you have done well to get these, as they are most interesting, and you'll probably identify them more closely. There is a plethora of good books in French - without them we'd often be lost. Which is not to say they answer ALL one's questions!!
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  Joost Daalder June 1, 2011 at 10:21am

  I forgot to say here that ours are anklets, not bracelets. Not that that matters much.
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  Alaa eddine SAGID June 1, 2011 at 10:38am

  the couloured traces are paint and were added lately. maybe under the pressure of a lady who was keen to show off some urban features in the deep contryside...this is a common habit that led berber ladies in south eastern morocco to wear opulent gold jewellery from FES along with very archaic silver, coral and amber...

   

   
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  Joost Daalder June 1, 2011 at 11:47am

  Interesting, ayis - I had never come across that, but I can see how it would have happened, Indeed, it did look like paint to me, and you explain why!
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  Mohamed Abdalla June 19, 2013 at 3:29pm

  What is the inner diameter of these anklets? I have ones that look very similar to those ones but they are 3.7" in diameter and make better bracelets for the arm than ankle. I will post them if I ever get the time. I have a lot I have to post!
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  Ethnic Embellishments June 19, 2013 at 6:42pm

  Ayis, Is that a signature on the side of the right anklet?  These almost remind me of some Tunisian work too.
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  Alaa eddine SAGID June 19, 2013 at 6:46pm

  Non these are really huge definetely anklets.
  
  Yess there is a signature "omar atta" : this is what i can read.
  
  Either smith's name or the husband's name!!