Moroccan "Kabyle" Diadem

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Moroccan "Kabyle" Diadem

Posted by Joost Daalder on April 30, 2010 at 1:34am

Detail of a great, superficially Kabyle style (Algerian) diadem which was probably in fact made in Morocco; 19th c (?). The complete piece is shown in "Ethnic Jewellery and Adornment", p. 400. Check out the book (and buy it if you like it!) at "http://www.ethnicartpress.com.au".

Comments

Kathleen McCabe-Elsey May 1, 2010 at 7:11pm

One of my favorites. The colors and designs are so beautiful!.
SARAH CORBETT May 25, 2010 at 9:45am

what a beauty.......
Patti would love this !
Warm wishes
Sarah
Joost Daalder May 25, 2010 at 9:58am

Many thanks, Sarah and Kathleen, and yes, Patti too does love it! As do we - it is among our more sensational North African pieces. Very early; great colouring; and great workmanship.
kim price July 5, 2010 at 1:24am

lovely Joost.......
Joost Daalder July 14, 2011 at 11:03pm

This is one of our most impressive pieces, and widely seen as such.
Isabel Iglesias July 14, 2011 at 11:14pm

Not found words to express this wonderful thing!
Alaa eddine SAGID July 15, 2011 at 2:39pm

are you talking about this kabyle diadem? well i need some time to give you a complete answer of my feeling and would love to have additional pictures of the "leather" details.
Joost Daalder July 15, 2011 at 3:38pm

Hi Ayis, - Alas, I have no photo of the back (as it happens), and the piece is in storage elsewhere, so I cannot readily - and will not for some time be able to - show you the back. I can meanwhile just show you the "end pieces" on each side as they appear on a photo that Hillary kept from the time when the object was for sale several years ago. Please go to this link (which sends you to Hillary's image): https://ethnicjewels.ning.com/photo/amazing-diadem?context=latest. I feel lame about not being able to do better! Each of these "pads" with strings is attached to a ring at the side of the piece. They are beautifully constructed but don't necessarily look old to me.
Joost Daalder July 15, 2011 at 3:58pm

This is not a good photo of the diadem, but does show the endbits very clearly. However, I have no photo of the leather back, which looks more worn. It would even be possible that that was there for some time BEFORE the end bits were put on. Link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150189495973049&set=a....
Joost Daalder July 15, 2011 at 5:25pm

Ayis (and others): I think I have worked out events in relation to this Kabyle diadem. It was bought c. 1990 by the previous owner, in a shop with great stock situated in Ouarzazate. The dealer also had, for example, the wonderful large Goulimine cross that we so much admire. Around 1990, from what I remember, there were still very good - and early - pieces one could buy in Morocco, but usually "readied for sale to Westerners" by the dealers. This piece, old and originally from the Kabyle in Algeria, ended up with a dealer in Ouarzazate, who most likely was the person to decide that the crown should be provided with a leather back, and with the side pieces you can see. So the presence of leather, one concludes, had nothing to do with the piece being a Kabyle object, but resulted from the initiative of a skilled seller in Ouarzazate who made the piece more saleable and "neat" by adding the leather to the back and at the sides. Doesn't that sound like the most plausible scenario? It could be a bit different, but I think it is likely to be along these lines. And utterly in tune with what one sees in so many cases.

Gallery

Moroccan "Kabyle" Diadem

Comments

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