Photos

Comments

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  Lynn Ardent November 29, 2014 at 3:13pm

  Very beautiful.  I love the vines, moon, and star/flower.
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  Peter Hoesli November 29, 2014 at 6:19pm

  Dear Mustafa; This is a piece that clearly has lived - beautiful. Congratulations! Peter
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  ingrid Langerak November 29, 2014 at 9:26pm

  Lovely work. See again the same system as in your's and Lynn's bracelet, And I can recognize it as Libyan work and do appreciate it.  Thank you for sharing. Gr. Ingrid. 
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  Mustafa J. Salem November 30, 2014 at 2:17am

  Dear Lynn, Peter and Ingrid;

  Thanks for your  comments. I am pleased  that you have found the posted pin interesting. Needless to say that I have enjoyed joining this forum, and I am learning a lot from the contributions from  the members of this forum.
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  Thelma November 30, 2014 at 12:41pm

  Hello Mustafa. I've been admiring the quality of your bracelets and now this lovely pin which must have been made by a master. Very difficult to find these today.
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  Mustafa J. Salem November 30, 2014 at 3:07pm

  hello Thelma: Thank you for your kind remarks. You are right nowadays it is possible to get such fine work on silver in Libya. Whatever available is mostly mechanized and  very little hand-made.

  Only a few masters are still alive who can actually craft such work. But they are too old, and  their children  ' who were trained to do so' cannot afford the time and efforts to make such fine work even if they can. They say that it doesnot pay them nowadays, and not enough customers for such work. Therefore only the old material  in such a quality can be found which is getting harder to get.
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  Lynn Ardent November 30, 2014 at 3:28pm

  Mustafa, I am glad you are enjoying the site and sharing your beautiful Libyan jewels.  Be careful or you will develop expensive new collecting interests from looking at all the photos here.  ;)
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  Mustafa J. Salem November 30, 2014 at 7:10pm

  Dear Lynn: Your warning is valid but as I am interested in Libyan Silver which already includes a lot of  Tunisian ethnic silver as well, it  cannot be more for my budget. So far I have been lucky in finding pieces locally that interest me... but still I had to put some on hold so that I can pay for  once I have the budget.  Do you have any references or information about the hallmarks of Tunisian Silver.  I have a good idea of the Libyan marks though not much precise dating but at least I can recognize the TRIPOLI Hallmarks.  The problem with Libyan Silver is that it is heavy and it is a good quality therefore it is quite expensive.

  Thanks for sending me the Ingrid's method for cleaning. Right now I have no pieces that need such method as  most of my collection is quite clean already. Cheers.
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  SARAH CORBETT November 30, 2014 at 10:17pm

  http://www.h.cx/?country=Tunisia

  you may find this useful

  Warm wishes

  Sarah
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  Mustafa J. Salem November 30, 2014 at 10:45pm

  That was very helpful indeed. Thanks a lot for the help offered.

  Sincerely,

  Mustafa