Gallery

Comments

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  Kathleen Peirce June 27, 2011 at 3:05am

  This is nothing short of hypnotic in color and design.
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  Joost Daalder June 27, 2011 at 3:14am

  Yes, "hypnotic" is an excellent word. "Mesmerising" is another one that comes to mind. I have now of course seen the object many times, both in real life and as a digital image, but its effect does not "wear off" or become predictable: it is equally intense every time. The Mongolians have a wonderful sense of colour, and employ colour to great effect in many artefacts - not just jewellery, though in that area they are truly exceptional as an ethnic group using colour in combination with silver. Very few other cultures are so striking in that regard, and so popular. Perhaps only in Algeria and Morocco does one find the equivalent, particularly in enamelling, though there are other cultures too which have produced great examples.
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  Zareen Smith November 30, 2011 at 8:39pm

  This takes my breath away every time I see it. 

   
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  Joost Daalder December 1, 2011 at 12:16am

  Thanks, Zareen! Yes, they are fascinating pieces, and rare as well. We were lucky in being able to buy not just one, but a few, which formed a small collection that someone had had for many decades. Only ONE of the small group was unquestionably a piece of jewellery, as it had a flat silver back (all of them are silver with rich enamel and usually e.g. coral as well). The other pieces are the same at the back as the front (and thus enamelled on both sides as well), which means that they were not worn on the body, but used as hangings (quite logically so, for then they would protect a dwelling, tent, or whatever). Some are built up in heavy layers, and thus could easily be 3-layered (like this one) or more all in all, which makes them very thick. Of course, the piece could even then be worn as a piece of jewellery, in theory, but most likely wasn't. We have a book in Chinese now which stresses that the objects are amulets, and in no way that they were jewellery. Even so, every collector of ethnic jewellery loves them - and as collectors we were happy to stretch a point!
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  ait ouakli March 24, 2012 at 1:45pm

  this objekt has a fascinating and hypnotizing effekt. verry strong.  looks like mosaic but  much better

  a great harmony of soft and hard forms. the color mix is not from any normal human.i will save this photo
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  Lanajnaj December 29, 2012 at 10:05am

  very interesting, the color is stong and the design aerial, thanks
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  Mariann Stenberg December 29, 2014 at 9:49am

  Ohhh, what a beauty...