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.
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I turned it over. Does it make more sense? The tall swirly letter does look Kufic to me now and does resemble a letter on the other ring.
Looks like Kufic to me as well, but the patterns are very repetitive/regular and if nobody can decipher it maybe it is just ornamentation............Or a repetition of the name of Allah? or a pious invocation? ma Sha' llah? or ila ma sha' llah -for ever and ever-? Which would explain the regularity.........We are all a bit in the dark arent we? Where did you buy them Suzan?
Hi Chantal, there was an amazing shop in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood called the Dream Room. Walking into the shop was like was like entering another time and space. Robert had silver jewelry, mainly from Afghanistan, Africa, and Nepal. Also all kinds of objects of interest from everywhere in the world, some big furniture pieces, sculpture, masks, musical instruments, and woven pieces. There were pieces of museum quality mixed in with trinkets...all of it interesting. Regrettably the shop closed a few years ago.
Actually, my memory failed. The shop was called the Dreaming Room, not the Dream Room. Though they've been closed for a while, I just discovered I missed their recent liquidation sale. To get a sense of this wonderful place you can check out their facebook page and photos. I really miss this place!
http://www.facebook.com/TheDreamingRoom?sk=wall
Suzan, this ex-Dreaming room gallery must have been a fabulous place....... Facebook gives a good idea of the diversity of their tastes and offerings. Why did they close? economic reasons? such a shame.........I was in S.F. for 2 days last May (after an exhausting trip to the beauties of the west coast and the south west, they fortunately gave us 2 days off for a rest before returning to London) and I thought sadly that , had I known it, I could have visited.......and maybe found some African treasure. Well, it wasnt to be for you or me! Did you ask him where he got your rings from? Do you know what
the ex-owner is doing at present?
Sorry Suzan, I just re read your message, this wonderful placed seemed to have closed "a few years ago" so I couldnt have visited last May!
I'm not sure why he closed; I would guess it was the economy. He said he got my rings from a dealer in Thailand. He had several from the same Thai dealer, and most of them were from Afghanistan. This particular ring puzzled me though, because it's form was so different than the others. I don't know what Robert doing now but no doubt it involves travel. The Dreaming Room was usually closed all day, opening only at night, which seemed perfect!