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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.

Posted by Nathalie Wijker on February 28, 2016 at 4:15pm

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Comments

Betty February 28, 2016 at 9:22pm

They look like relatively new Ethiopian hairpins, are they?
Nathalie Wijker February 29, 2016 at 7:59am

Hello Betty, i do not know how old they are, i bought them on a flea market..they don't look new i think..
Betty March 1, 2016 at 10:30am

I don't mean brand new, Natalie, but maybe Vintage. They are quite different from the old silver hairpins of the same style. I will try to find a picture of mine. You can also search for the collections of Eva Baby or Ingrid Langerak who both own a large number of old Ethiopian hairpins :-) Nice find!
Nathalie Wijker March 1, 2016 at 11:06am

I think they are vintage too Betty. I found a picture on internet with one pin like this on it, but no reverence to an age..i am not sure. They are not silver, but mixed metal i think, there is also some green patina on them. Thank you so much for your tip. I will search for the collections of Eva and Ingrid :-)
Eva Baby March 1, 2016 at 12:13pm

Here you can see one exactly the same style, it is Ethiopian, made before 1945 and silver. About yours on the photo, they must be old too, but the material is metal mix. I bought mine in 2012, (I have many from Ingrid, but not these ones on the photo). I was told it was bought in Axum.
Eva Baby March 1, 2016 at 12:17pm

I think it is a nice find, and if I had seen them on a flea market, I would have bought them at once!
that the material is not silver, is not always the most important! they are very nice, they are vintage and used, and they have their own history! that is lovely, I believe
Nathalie Wijker March 1, 2016 at 2:38pm

Oh Eva, thank you so much for this info, nice to know where they are from!
Eva Baby March 1, 2016 at 4:04pm

It is really exciting that ethiopian hairpins turn up again on this site! i have not seen any for years appearing on Ebay or here (apart from the ones Ingrid showed earlier). I wish we also had such fleamarkets here too! It seems to me on our flea markets they sell only rubbish! But they will have one again in the summer months........ so I will try my luck ! I also have many other Ethiopian items, a big box full, but my favourites are the hairpins. Look:
Nathalie Wijker March 1, 2016 at 4:27pm

Ohh, that is really stunning Eva, beautiful!. And yes, flea markets are my favorite!. I bought these from a man that clears houses. He is only interested in books, so he sells all the other things on the market..He knows nothing about ethnic jewelry, lucky me! https://www.facebook.com/nathalie.wijker/posts/10205836741347687
Nathalie Wijker March 1, 2016 at 4:29pm

I have put the other items in my Etsy shop www.etsy.com/nl/handmademala