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.
You need to be a member of Adorned Histories to add comments!
Request your copy of our newsletter.
If you would like to receive our newsletter
Comments
A unique one, I have only seen one set sofar.
Hard to tell Betty, as it is an almost uniqum, and how often was it worn, I do not think very much worn, as all the beads are in tact. Richer people do have so many more pieces so they put them on depending on the mood and clothes they wear. But I place it about 1930, it is rather heavy and it is guilded although now rather thinly. That is also were I get the app. years from as also the guild is not seen anymore on the back side. Not like some other sets I have guilded, their backs are still with guild on them.
Love this one too, not so much for the coloured stones, but for the wonderful detail work on the pendants. Gorgeous!
I know what you mean Eva, It is slightly too much, but it makes a nice addition for a collection.
You hardly see this, Ethiopia or Eritrea is not a country from stones, now different time. As the world is now flooded with Ethiopian Opals. Were not available in my time.
Thanks for the additional info Ingrid.
I agree with Eva about the lovely granulation( also unusual for this type of fertility bead methinks :-)), However, I quite like the stones too, which all vary in size and colours and shades. But we are used to seeing "plain" silver in Ethiopian jewellery, and this piece is just very different. I like it very much.
As for the opals. Do you know if they have ever been used locally, Ingrid?
Betty, as far as I know and have experience with . No local use. Stone cutting was not done. I have only one ring, with a wood opal , capucion(?) cut. which was a try out from the handicraft school (I wrote you about in earlier discussions, when you asked if there were Armenian jewelers in Ethiopia) and one of them was the teacher at this school. Unfortunately the revolution came and no money set aside and very soon the spareparts were not bought and it died. So the answer is no use of the local opal. This came into fashion very recent, perhaps about 4-5 yrs ago?
Thank you, Ingrid. I was wondering about this. As you said the market is swamped with Ethiopian opals, but I cannot remember having ever seen opal jewellery being worn in EThiopia proper...