An appreciation of ethnic jewellery and adornment

Detail of Khayali Necklace

The set with matching earrings is priced for wealthy clients at 5500 TD. The merchant assured me that the diamonds are real. Similar necklaces can also be found with colorless diamonds. This style was brought to Tunisia during the Ottoman period.

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Tags: Tunisia, necklaces

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Comment by Linda Pastorino on June 18, 2012 at 21:42: Hi Edith, are you able to procure multiple copies of these so called mentioned books. I for one would be all too happy to buy some from you, as I'm sure others would be ... let us know. You can have yourself a lucrative market in used books from some of us! I have no books on tunisian or maybe one perhaps, no I looked none and so would be most interested.

Comment by Edith D on June 18, 2012 at 19:22: Thanks Chantal: I am really not ready to leave, but nothing to do about it except forge ahead. Yes, I have Sugier's work as well as Sethom. Sethom also published a number of things locally which are otherwise not available outside of Tunis, and I have managed to find some of these. Also published locally is a fabulous picture book on Tunisian jewelry by Jaques Perez. Perez is well known in Tunisia for his photos, and I think he is from an old Djerban family known for their silver work. It is too bad his book is now out of print.

Comment by Chantal on June 18, 2012 at 17:21: Edith, I was so sad to hear that you're leaving Tunisia............You are our main jewelry Tunisian expert (in old and modern alike), this blog will be bereaved.......and the beautiful photos.........so sad.....Well, you'll have to start the book to collect all this knowledge, experiences and the wonderful pics.........You have told us and shown us lots of stuff which wasnt in Gargouri-Sethom............Have you read any of Cl. Sugier's works (probably)....he wrote a lot on Tunisian jewelry.

Comment by Linda Pastorino on June 18, 2012 at 14:14: thanks for explaining it to me. I am at a loss for that information never taking it apon myself to read about it. I have not one book on the subject of jewelry or culture. I do know that there was in fact a relative of a cousin that was Tunisian as we are originally Sicilian. So now it makes sense. I wouldn't mind traveling there some time. It sounds really fabulous. Lucky you had the opportunity to live in such a place.

Comment by Edith D on June 18, 2012 at 13:10: There are plenty of non-Tunisians in the capital (Tunis), although these days most of the foreigners are French or Italian. There are plenty of French families remaining from the colonial period who stayed on after independence. The Italians especially have been part of Tunisian society for centuries, and there was a lot of historic contact between Sicily and Tunisia. There was also a strong Andalusian influence here for many centuries brought by immigrants fleeing the Inquisition in Spain and other parts of Europe. Currently, there have been many people from other countries who work for the African Development Bank. There are also foreign petroleum and gas companies, and of course many foreign agencies. My husband's job was here for 3 years.

Comment by Linda Pastorino on June 18, 2012 at 11:17: Are theie many non Tunisians living there? What city do you live in? I have alot of friends living in Morocco but I think you're the first person I have known reporting back from Tunisia. Why do you have to leave? is your work over there?

Comment by Edith D on June 18, 2012 at 8:26: This is a new necklace done in a traditional style. There are antique shops here, and I have seen real antique "chichkhan" sold in the Medina. The medina has covered souks including a jewelry market, and some antique pieces can be found there. I have lived in Tunis for 3 years, although (sadly) soon to come to an end.

Comment by Linda Pastorino on June 18, 2012 at 1:13: I'm confused.. is this new or early 20th c? If it's vintage then still considered old but not really antique meaning 150 or so years. I think price is ok but could be cheaper if one needs to re sell. Not bad if real gold , looks pretty substantial. Are there antique type shops there or just hit or miss? Is it like Morocco in that there are covered markets? We don't hear much about Tunisia in States, and obviously not alot of Americans there , which is good. I think maybe tourists from Europe if anything or not so much? it is intreaging to me. It is a place always been in my radar since I was a teen but never quite got there in my travels. Do you live there part of the year or do you just like traveling there?

Comment by Edith D on June 17, 2012 at 23:28: Hi Linda: the current exchange is 1.6 USD per 1 TD, so I think in the $3400 range. I am sure that a real antique kayali would cost even more. The antique pieces can be quite fabulous and sometimes have real rose-cut diamonds.

Comment by Linda Pastorino on June 17, 2012 at 16:48: what price is that in dollars? These look almost like hematites! I wish more Tunisian things would be in the market to understand them. Yes this is definatly late in the Ottoman empire, the work is different on earlier pieces but still not bad..