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Indian Cuffs

Posted by Lynn Ardent on January 28, 2015 at 2:39pm

This is a pair of Indian cuffs, in very high silver, with the most beautiful wear and shape to them. They have applied chains and stamping work in floral motifs. They are rigid but spring open about an inch when the long pins are removed. Inside these bracelets, every hollow has a layer of petrified mud!These were sold to me as from Rajasthan, worn by the Jat people, but I think they are more likely Rabari (see photo in comments.) I believe they are quite old. More information on them is most welcome.345 grams together

Comments

Alaa eddine SAGID January 28, 2015 at 5:51pm

This is some otherworldly patina and wear!!
Lynn Ardent January 29, 2015 at 12:10am

Thank you Alaa, you say it perfectly!
ingrid Langerak January 29, 2015 at 8:18am

Lynns, This is indeed an outstanding patina,beautiful and so vissable that they are cuffs which have seen a lot of wear.and surprisingly the pins are in such good order. Lovely pair for ones collection.

Gr. Ingrid.
Lynn Ardent January 29, 2015 at 9:38pm

Thank you Ingrid, I really love them. The pins may be replacements but if so they were made in-country and in the traditional style.
Joost Daalder January 31, 2015 at 3:38am

Very nice, Lynn. Most often, when you get this kind of patina and wear, what you are looking at is something worn by one and the same woman for most of her lifetime, every day, and I think that is the case here. In most instances, unfortunately, pieces as well used as these were for that very reason not preserved, but re-melted, which means that an intact long-worn pair like this is actually quite rare to find. You did well to buy them, and they will always have that element of "soul" which is so very attractive about honest old pieces.
Lynn Ardent January 31, 2015 at 3:40am

Thank you Joost, you said it perfectly. I love the "soul" in these bracelets.
Lynn Ardent January 31, 2015 at 4:55pm

I have been looking around and it is possible these were worn by the Rabari. Here is a photo of a woman wearing a similar set of bracelets with the floral triangles. Photograph by Jimmy Nelson from, "Before They Pass Away."
Joost Daalder January 31, 2015 at 5:05pm

I don't know which group would have worn this particular pair, Lynn, but the person who told you they were from Rajasthan may well be right, as quite a few of these tall, tapering cuffs come from that region, although they were also worn elsewhere, e.g. in Gujarat. As it happens there are Rabari living in Rajasthan, for sure (as well as elsewhere). So if you find that your cuffs do look most like Rabari cuffs you may well have identified the exact group. You'd need to be sure of some distinguishing feature, though, for there are a good many of these types of cuffs in existence. I wish I knew more. Good luck!
Joost Daalder January 31, 2015 at 5:08pm

Looking more sharply, I feel that the two pairs (yours and the ones in the Rabari photo) are very close indeed, so I would in your position "conservatively" assume that they are Rabari cuffs, "absent the presence of evidence to the contrary"!
Alaa eddine SAGID January 31, 2015 at 5:21pm

I totally second Joost's comment.