Very early tourist stuff ? (image 1)

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.

Very early tourist stuff ? (image 1)

Posted by Johanne on August 15, 2011 at 1:15pm

Algeria or Morocco? Silvered, enamel, the round one (diam: 5,5cm high: 3,5cm). real coral stones, other boxes have bakelite or plastic stones. The double one has also a blue glass-stone.

Comments

Chantal August 15, 2011 at 1:53pm

Hi Johanne,

Very nice and I have got one (round) very similar. Are they for sale?
Alaa eddine SAGID August 15, 2011 at 2:03pm

This is berber kabyle from algeria, very nice how they did employ the jewelry techniques in making souvenirs.

Indeed this is some very early stuff, pre independance of algeria, maybe first half of the 20TH century
Joost Daalder August 15, 2011 at 2:22pm

Quite interesting stuff to look at, Ayis - looks at once like being transitional between cultures and transitional between periods (as well as purposes).
Alaa eddine SAGID August 15, 2011 at 2:24pm

absolutely Joost, your coment is a very spot on.

When we look at these boxes, we see the very old genuine kabyle style present on jewelry but yet the purpose of these objects is far from adornment
SARAH CORBETT August 15, 2011 at 4:25pm

Aha a different picture ..

I think the round box which is also pictured separetely in another post is Moroccan rather than Algerian.

Enamelling and design notedly different.

Sometimes the lids and base can be removed to create a bracelet.

Warm wishes

Sarah
Johanne August 15, 2011 at 8:21pm

Sorry, Chantal they are not for sale.. I don't have a shop. I'm just a humble collector. Thank you for your nice comment.\
Johanne August 15, 2011 at 8:43pm

To Sarah: Thank you for your comment on the boxes. It's for me not easy to see the difference between Morocco and Algeria enamel ware. If I look the stones on the round box very well with my magnifying glass I can see fine parallel bright lines, typical for coral. The stones have irrigular shapes and are not exactly of the same color red. But the color is bright so I can understand you think it's glass.
Chantal August 15, 2011 at 9:12pm

Hi Johanne, never mind. In the future maybe? I am also "only" a humble collector. The (now) very aged lady who gave it to me said that she bought it on a market in Morocco in the early fifties. But of course they could still have come from Algeria...
Alaa eddine SAGID August 15, 2011 at 9:16pm

Johane,

I beg to differ with Sarah, i really think this is some early souvenir stuff from algeria.

Nothing similar was done in morocco that early, they only heard about kabyle jewelry only lately when the demand of it became overwhelming!
Johanne August 15, 2011 at 9:52pm

Hi Ayis, It's interesting you have a different opinion about the boxes. My feeling is they are older than 15 years.. The only I know they are coming from a sold heritage. They were very dirty (years of sigarette smoke) and tarnished, and I hoped after cleaning they were of a high silveralloy..

Merci beaucoup! Johanne

Gallery

Very early tourist stuff ? (image 1)

Comments

Request your copy of our newsletter.