Photos

Comments

• 

  Lynn Ardent August 11, 2015 at 10:28pm

  I think this lovely bracelet is Bulgarian and will see if I can find a reference for you.  Congratulations Betty and I'm glad the cleaning method worked for you! 
• 

  Peter Hoesli August 13, 2015 at 6:32pm

  Dear Betty; This is indeed a beauty and yes, I would also allocate it to the Balkan region, most probably Bulgaria. I have recently seen a similar piece, fully gold plated with origin Ottoman-Greece. I have not long time ago posted a Bulgarian belt which has a similar relief work. With kind regards. Peter
• 

  Betty August 13, 2015 at 7:43pm

  Thank you, Lynn and Peter (I thought I had seen a similar design in one of the pieces you posted, but I searched for "bracelet" and therefore did not come across the belt...). It's another find I was only able to make because of the educational value of the postings on EJ. Best wishes, Betty
• 

  Joost Daalder August 15, 2015 at 2:01pm

  A nice "strong" piece.
• 

  Betty August 16, 2015 at 5:08pm

  Thanks, Joost.
• 

  Betty August 21, 2015 at 1:45pm

  I just found an almost identical piece on a travel blog - a lady picked it up it up on a flea market in Sofia some years ago. So very likely it is Bulgarian, as suspected...

  
• 

  Joost Daalder August 21, 2015 at 2:32pm

  Great and really satisfying to see the piece you have recently come across, Betty! And yes, the bracelets are remarkably similar, so the identification becomes the more secure as a result. Congrats!
• 

  Frankie Carter December 8, 2015 at 9:09pm

  I have only just come across this, Betty. I am as certain as it is possible to be that it is Bulgarian. It`s a pattern that is fairly frequently used. Although that`s not to say that it`s common.

  It comes into a category of Bulgarian jewellery that is pretty much neglected. I just picked up for almost nothing one of the Ottoman convex banded bracelets which proved to be excellent silver having been sold unidentified as brass. A little cleaning reveals much!
• 

  Betty December 10, 2015 at 2:37pm

  Thanks a lot for confirming my guesses, Frankie. I actually found another proof that it is Bulgarian (in some museum - but I would have to dig in my digital "archive" which is a right mess at the moment. As you said, these pieces are neglected..

  The above piece has been sold in the meantime...