Photos

Comments

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  Eva Baby September 10, 2011 at 8:26am

  Are these REAL lions claws?
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  Ann Porteus September 10, 2011 at 12:22pm

  Oh Yes they are.
  Just stay away from an aggressive lion. They are so big. It is an old piece and I was assured from a found carcase. The Ethiopians tell me that they do not hunt lion? They do use found parts? Anyway this piece is really quite old and very unusual so I proceeded with the purchase.
  It does hace signs of wear and one solder point holding the attached amulets to the front has broken. I see it as a collectors piece.
  Ann
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  Eva Baby September 10, 2011 at 1:11pm

  @Thanks for the additional info. Let's hope it was from lions found dead. I know that lions in Ethiopia are considered something special (at least in earlier times, with Haile Selassie, who was considered the lion of Judäa or similar - am not sure anymore, I have once seen an exhibition on Ethiopian art, which caused me to start collecting Ethiopian Christian crosses.. but I stopped this in favour of the Tuareg and other Saharan people), but still have a few ones. Do you live in Tasmania? This is not just around the corner from Afria (I read your comments about your Mali travels)! Kind regards, Eva (Switzerland)
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  Ann Porteus September 10, 2011 at 11:44pm

  Thank you Eva,
  From Timbuktu to Tasmania is the catch phrase for my gallery! I think that we are about as far apart as we can go. my longest flying time was 32 hours to arrive from Tassie to Abidjan. Now days I transit for a few days in Bangkok and Ethiopia or Egypt before crossing to the West. I also stop occasionally in East Africa but much prefer the West.
  I have been to Mali many times although not since 2002. I hope to go back there next year. Buying Jewellery mostly for my personal collection was originally a bit of a side line as originally my gallery focused more on tribal arts of Africa. During the mid 90's I started stopping in Asia to rest and fatten up because I lost too much weight in Africa. I loved Thai food and Bangkok is a great city to graze all day. I got to know traders in Bangkok who asked me to bring things like amber and trade beads from Mali for them. So I sold all that I carried in BKK and bought old Jewellery from across Asia from them. Now half of my business is ethnic and tribal Jewellery and textiles with the other half remaining with tribal art. I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to collect and live for a time as guardian with so many beautiful things from around the globe. It is also a great honor to get to know so many wonderful traders and villagers in many countries as well as many clients who have become friends through our shared passions.
  My African time has been shared between 15 countries so I have a little knowledge about many places. Thank you so much - I really do appreciate your shared explanations about my pieces. Now they make more sense. I will upload a couple of more pieces today.
  Enjoy,
  Ann
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  Eva Baby September 11, 2011 at 7:17am

  Dear Ann, thank you for your long and interesting comment. It is really amazing for me that you fly from Tasmania to Mali ! Wow! Bangkok - I once lived there for about 14 months. But at that time I was very young, had no money, and was less interested in ethnic jewellery, but was charmed by the Thai culture. I lived in the Thai family of my (at that time) husband in Bangkok-Yai, on the other side of the Chao Phya river, in a house in a beautiful garden. There were no Europeans living there. I loved Thailand, we made many trips around this beautiful country (e.g.Kanchanaburi, Hua Hin, Pattaya was already to crowded by Western men, Chiengmai and Chiangrai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Pathom with the huge Chedi  (where we always ate grilled chicken with sticky rice), and many more. My husband of that time worked as a junior lawyer and had to travel a lot for his office, and took me along. I know the Thailand of the years 1975-76. Well, the mariage broke, I have two half-Thai daughters who are grown ups, but it was a fascinating time. There are things I learnt about Thailand which are still precious to me. Unfortunately I never really mastered the language, I had no opportunity to buy books or follow a course, as we had no money. For this reason we had to leave Krungthep and settle in Switzerland, where I could work and had enough income for the whole family... This is long ago, I usually do not talk about it, but reading your lines, made come back my memories.  I loved our garden with all the orchids, the mango- and banana-trees, the Hibiscus flowers, but I hated to wash my clothes on the floor, to iron them on the floor, to do dishwashing on the floor at the klong, to eat rice three times a day, life was very hard, although beautiful... so much too this... At that time Bangkok was a centre of jewellery, but more for rubies, sapphires, garnets, worked in the Western way. I still have a ring and a necklace with saphhires and diamonds from there. But meanwhile all my ties to Thailand are cut, since long. I have no information about where the father of my daughters lives, since his parents died and the house was sold....I could not find  a job in Thailand, because for that I needed a work permit, and even being married to a Thai, I did NOT get it. We had no money to "buy" a work permission (illegally, that was the only possibility)...Ok back to your story. Must be fascinating to live on dealing with jewellery, but also requires a great deal of knowledge! It surprises me that traders in Bangkok buy trade beads from Mali! But I know little about this business, or even less. I startet to collect Tuareg jewellery about 20 years ago, little by little, alone for my pleasure..Later I also bought other ethnical jewellery in Mali, like glass beads from Djenné, Mauritanian things etc- Have to stop here, it gets too long... I am  married to a Malian since 10 years, we live in Zurich. Therefore we travel regularly (if enough money available) to Mali, to visit his family, but I only bought pieces for personal collecting... so far.
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  Ann Porteus September 11, 2011 at 10:23am

  Oh Eva,
  What an amazing story. I was first in Bangkok about 1973. It is one of my favorite cities. I think that I could easily live there. I have a Thai daughter who is my daughter in Aus but belongs to her real parents in Thailand. They are my manufacturing jewelers and make my designs for Sapphire, emerald, diamond, ruby and many semi precious stones Jewellery. It is different from the standard western style and I like to buy unusual and atypical stones. Ple or aPple in Aus did 2 masters degree's during her 2 years with us. She is now back in Thailand with a very good job but wants to come back to us.
  I like to work from one extreme to another.
  Thailand is still a huge Jewellery manufacturing country and their work is among the best globally. Unfortunately the political problems of the past few years has decimated their industry. 80% of their silversmith's are now unemployed. It is very difficult for everyone there. Still the people are wonderful and the culture strong.
  Many Thai men remain a problem for their wives!
  I have uploaded pics of more of my Tuareg pieces to Flickr but it was busy so I Rajput of time to upload to ethnic jewels.
  Here is the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sidewalk_tribal_galleries/sets/7215762...
  Maybe you know something about the ring pendants. I bought then in e mid 90's
  
  Have a great week,
  Ann
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  Ann Porteus September 12, 2011 at 6:25am

  ON HOLD