Jewels

A superb pair of old silver hoops from the Hazara, an ethnic minority group of persian origin that lives in central and Northeastern Afghanistan and in Northwestern Pakistan. This sample shows outstanding engraving and it is rimmed with delicate granulation work. Large size. It probably comes from the Nuristan region in Afghanistan or from Pakistan. An example of this quality and age are very hard to come by and have become very much sought after. Early XXth century.

A pair of old Berber silver earrings found in Taliouine in Southern Morocco. They are worn by the women of the group of the A

A great set of four ancient Islamic lampwork glass beads featuring a great spiral/feather pattern high relief decoration in a captivating yellow and whitish colors on a great black core. Full of character and showing a great patina considering their age.

The larger bead is approximately 15mm (long) by 9mm (diameter).

When referring to Islamic beads we follow bead expert Robert K. Liu’s description in Ornament Magazine: “The term Islamic Period Glass Beads is used, similarly to Roman Period Beads, to classify groups of ornaments from specific geographic areas and time periods, with recognizable characteristics including patterns and techniques. In the case of Islamic glass beads we know they originated in the Middle East and flourished mostly between the seventh and twelfth centuries. Their designs display a wide mix of techniques and styles: millefiori/mosaic (including pierced mosaic pad beads), trailed, filigreed, combed, fused rods, segmented/blown, folded (an Islamic innovation, Holland and Holland 2006) and those derived from amulet shapes, like charmcase beads with loops.” Islamic glass beads travelled from their sources of production in the Middle and Near East together with the expansion of Islam to North Africa, Southern Europe (Spain), India and the Far East and they reached areas well beyond Islam’s actual limits of expansion such as Northern Europe. They also flowed into Sub-Saharan Africa, where they were valued and cherished for centuries in the Malian ancient kingdoms as a symbol of status and played an important role in the communities’ rites and ceremonies such a burials, initiation or dowries.

Lamp working is one of the main techniques for the making of glass beads. Lamp or lamp work beads were made using glass canes that were reheated to a temperature of up to 1000 ºC by means of a blowtorch or blowlamp and which were then wound onto a coated iron rod to avoid the molten glass from sticking to the metal. The beads produced by the artisan by these means could be then further decorated by re-heating the bead using the same lamp work method and applying colored glass rods or glass cane inserts to the surface of the bead creating an endless variation of patterns and making of each bead one of its own.   

A pair of Berber silver earrings from Morocco. Their design makes them very attractive and wearable. Nice engraved decoration.

A pair of Berber silver earrings from Morocco. Their design makes them very attractive and wearable. Nice engraved decoration.

A beautiful pair of old Afghan silver and coral long earrings. Their design is very original. Great patina.

A beautiful pair of old Afghan silver and coral ong earrings. Their design is very original. Great patina.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A beautiful pair of old Afghan silver and coral ong earrings. Their design is very original. Great patina.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A beautiful pair of old Afghan silver and coral ong earrings. Their design is very original. Great patina.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A superb pair of Afghan Kuchi old silver and red coral large hoops. They show a detailed silver work that evidences the mastery of the silversmith that made them. Kuchi people, from the Persian -koch- meaning migration, are Afghan pashtoons nomads divided in a number of tribes that inhabit areas of Afghanistan and, to a lesser extent, Pakistan.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A superb pair of Afghan Kuchi old silver and red coral large hoops. They show a detailed silver work that evidences the mastery of the silversmith that made them. Kuchi people, from the Persian -koch- meaning migration, are Afghan pashtoons nomads divided in a number of tribes that inhabit areas of Afghanistan and, to a lesser extent, Pakistan.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A superb pair of Afghan Kuchi old silver and red coral large hoops. They show a detailed silver work that evidences the mastery of the silversmith that made them. Kuchi people, from the Persian -koch- meaning migration, are Afghan pashtoons nomads divided in a number of tribes that inhabit areas of Afghanistan and, to a lesser extent, Pakistan.

A superb pair of Afghan Kuchi old silver, red coral and turquoise large hoops. They show a detailed silver work that evidences the mastery of the silversmith that made them. They are particularly eye-catching the turquoise and coral cabochons and the elaborate design of the chains from which beautiful red coral beads are suspended. Pieces of this quality are hard to come by nowadays. Kuchi people, from the Persian -koch- meaning migration, are Afghan pashtoons nomads divided in a number of tribes that inhabit areas of Afghanistan and, to a lesser extent, Pakistan.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A nice set of old Afghan earrings made of old silver and coral beads.They are further ornated with small cabochons of turquoise and coral. Joyful and great to wear.

A wonderful pair of silver earrings engraved with simple Tuareg motifs from Niger. We have not really seen many like these in our modest tour. Truly a collector's piece! Unfortunately one of the pins is defective, although it would not be difficult to repair it.

An original pair of Tuareg silver and ebony rings featuring a characteristic decorative shape from that group.  The Tuareg are a nomadic Berber (amazigh) group that lives in the Sahara Desert. Its population is mainly spread in Algeria, Libya, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. 

Five authentic ancient beads from the Islamic Period (8th to 12th centuries). Three of them showing spiral motif and the other two are eye beads. Marvelous patina after centuries of being buried, including iridescence on one of them.

The central bead measures 20mm long and 8mm in diameter.

When referring to Islamic beads we follow bead expert Robert K. Liu’s description in Ornament Magazine: “The term Islamic Period Glass Beads is used, similarly to Roman Period Beads, to classify groups of ornaments from specific geographic areas and time periods, with recognizable characteristics including patterns and techniques. In the case of Islamic glass beads we know they originated in the Middle East and flourished mostly between the seventh and twelfth centuries. Their designs display a wide mix of techniques and styles: millefiori/mosaic (including pierced mo-saic pad beads), trailed, filigreed, combed, fused rods, segmented/blown, folded (an Islamic inno-vation, Holland and Holland 2006) and those derived from amulet shapes, like charmcase beads with loops.” Islamic glass beads travelled from their sources of production in the Middle and Near East together with the expansion of Islam to North Africa, Southern Europe (Spain), India and the Far East and they reached areas well beyond Islam’s actual limits of expansion such as Northern Europe. They also flowed into Sub-Saharan Africa, where they were valued and cherished for centuries in the Malian ancient kingdoms as a symbol of status and played an important role in the communities’ rites and ceremonies such a burials, initiation or dowries.

A lovely set of eight old translucent glass faceted monochrome beads and a blue oval islamic one. The first would have been produced in the eighteenth century in the city of Amsterdam in order to imitate rock crystal and other precious stones in the trade with the African and American colonies. The red bead with white nucleus could be Venetian. The blue oval one is much older, quite similar beads have been found in fortresses of the Bizantine period in Albania. Beautiful range of colors.

Central oval bead measures 16x11x7mm.

The Dutch beadmaking industry seems to have a short but intense history. Since the SXVI, large quantities of glass beads were produced in the city of Amsterdam thanks to the incorporation of Venetian beadmakers who brought in the necessary techniques and tools to supply Dutch merchants in the incipient trade with the colonies in Africa, Asia and the New World.

We use the term trade beads to refer to the European made glass beads that were used by the European merchants and explorers in the trade in Africa as from the 15th century and continued during their colonial expansion.

The history of trade beads in Africa takes us then to the 15th century and the arrival of the European, mainly the Portuguese, to the coasts of West Africa. The European discovered quite soon how much the people they met there fancied beads and saw they an opportunity for trade. Amongst the beads that captivated the African people most were glass beads since the techniques for their making had not yet been developed locally. The locals fell for the precious and colorful glass beads such as Venetian millefiori or chevron beads that the European traders had on offer and bartered them for commodities such as precious woods, ivory, gold and even used, ignominiously, in the slave trade. The increasing demand in Africa of European made glass beads continued quite until the first half of the 20th century and it had a boosting effect in the production in cities such as Venice which glass beads became very popular and coveted.

A lovely selection of eighteen mixed Venetian trade beads. Circa late 18th to early 20th centuries. Highlights three chevrons and ten “end of the day” beads.

Central bead measures 14mm in diameter

The so called “End of the Day” beads, as the story goes, would be made at the end of the working day by the artisans using the leftovers of other beads made during that day. The result is as pop and modern as you can see.

European glass chevron trade beads were certainly the first to be traded in Africa as early as the 15th century. They show a very characteristic “Rosetta” or “star” layered decoration attained by giving form to glass in a star shaped moulds. Layer after layer are applied to form a cane, which is then cut into cylinders and ground to show the alternated chevron or star layers. They were first produced in the Venetian island of Murano at the Barovier glass factory. The rarest examples are very much coveted and they are quite commonly tagged by the number of layers they show.

We use the term trade beads to refer to the European made glass beads that were used by the European merchants and explorers in the trade in Africa as from the 15th century and continued during their colonial expansion. The history of trade beads in Africa takes us then to the 15th century and the arrival of the European, mainly the Portuguese, to the coasts of West Africa. The European discovered quite soon how much the people they met there fancied beads and saw they an opportunity for trade. Amongst the beads that captivated the African people most were glass beads since the techniques for their making had not yet been developed locally. The locals fell for the precious and colorful glass beads such as Venetian millefiori or chevron beads that the European traders had on offer and bartered them for commodities such as precious woods, ivory, gold and even used, ignominiously, in the slave trade. The increasing demand in Africa of European made glass beads continued quite until the first half of the 20th century and it had a boosting effect in the production in cities such as Venice which glass beads became very popular and coveted.

The model of these thirty-three beautiful Venetian trade beads is without any doubt among those most popular in barter trade in West Africa. They were made at artisan workshops in Venice from the mid-1800s to the first third of the 19th century using the lamp work technique. The very typical eye or dotted decoration classes them as eye beads. The combination of white dots on a black background, though there are other combination of colors, made them known in the trade as “black and white skunk” as they reminded of the fur of this animal. In Spain they where also known as “Moorish” beads and where sometimes found as part of the jewellery arrangements of traditional “charra” jewellery from the province of Salamanca.

The larger bead measures approximately 12mm (long) and 14 mm (diameter).

We use the term trade beads to refer to the European made glass beads that were used by the European merchants and explorers in the trade in Africa as from the 15th century and continued during their colonial expansion. The history of trade beads in Africa takes us then to the 15th century and the arrival of the European, mainly the Portuguese, to the coasts of West Africa. The European discovered quite soon how much the people they met there fancied beads and saw they an opportunity for trade. Amongst the beads that captivated the African people most were glass beads since the techniques for their making had not yet been developed locally. The locals fell for the precious and colorful glass beads such as Venetian millefiori or chevron beads that the European traders had on offer and bartered them for commodities such as precious woods, ivory, gold and even used, ignominiously, in the slave trade. The increasing demand in Africa of European made glass beads continued quite until the first half of the 20th century and it had a boosting effect in the production in cities such as Venice which glass beads became very popular and coveted.

Eye glass beads are beads which main feature are circular decorations that remind of an eye made using lamp work, inset or mosaic techniques. One of the best examples of eye beads are found among Islamic beads mostly blue or green with white eyes as well as eye dotted Venetian glass beads (skunk). The eye decoration may be a simple eye or a number of them scattered on the surface of the bead, they may be plain ones or concentric ones using different colors. Eye beads may also present some linear trails, ziz-zag or floral decoration. Eye beads have been very much valued for centuries, actually they still are, among not only Islamic people but also African people as they were regarded as strong amulets to avert the evil eye and for their alleged prophylactic and magical properties.

Lamp working is one of the main techniques for the making of glass beads. Lamp or lamp work beads were made using glass canes that were reheated to a temperature of up to 1000 ºC by means of a blowtorch or blowlamp and which were then wound onto a coated iron rod to avoid the molten glass from sticking to the metal. The beads produced by the artisan by these means could be then further decorated by re-heating the bead using the same lamp work method and applying colored glass rods or glass cane inserts to the surface of the bead creating an endless variation of patterns and making of each bead one of its own.

Three truly awesome, beautiful and sought after old Mauritanian silver beads (agrabb al-fadda). These beads are hollow and made by welding very thin martelé silver plaques. In this case they also feature a lovely filigree silver lace decoration. Early 20th century.

Central bead measures 17mm in diameter and lateral beads lenght is 28mm.

Thirteen outstanding silver old beads with traces of gilding bath. Featuring an intricate work of granulation and filigree very characteristic of Mauritanians goldsmiths. Very rare to find especially in good condition. Beautiful patina. Beginning of the 20th century or earlier.

Larger bead measures 9mm in diameter and the smallest 5mm.

A Very original set of one hundred and two vintage gilding bath silver beads from the skillful hands of a Mauritanian artisan. Uniques!

Avarage diametre between 5 and 7mm