Photos

Comments

• 

  SARAH CORBETT August 18, 2011 at 11:43am

  Hi Suzan.

  This is a Soussi cuff from the regions near to Tarroudant.

  These are a traditional style from the area, they are very prolific, and  are still made today

  https://ethnicjewels.ning.com/photo/soussi-cuffs?context=user

  here is a pic of some which are very recently made.

  Your piece features reused flat glass discs from an earlier piece of jewellery, I would say that this pices is made withing the last 10 - 15 years.

  There would once have been coin pendants hanging from the loops.

  Warm wishes

  Sarah

   
• 

  Suzan Kaplan August 18, 2011 at 6:22pm

  Thanks so much. I like the flat glass discs and thought they seemed older than the bracelet but the bracelet didn't seem that old. I hadn't considered that they would have been reused. I am learning so much here. Thank you for catalyzing this amazing community! I've seen jewelry here I've haven't seen anywhere else and learned more than I have from any of my books. You've made it all come quite alive!

  Suzan

   
• 

  SARAH CORBETT January 15, 2012 at 6:51pm

  Hi Suzan,

   

  Thanks for linking this post together with Chantals, piece.  The pointers here are of re used glass....( I believe these are clear glass with red paper behind.

  The enamel though would in my opinion fit into a famework datewise of being made a little more recently than chantals piece........

  Again it shows the need to read all clues from a piece of Jewellery, the flat glass has been re cycled into a new piece, thus giving a possible date of 1960's if we look at the glass alone. It is a tricky business deciphering ethnic pieces!!

  I think that one of the examples I show has the coins, but shall see if I can find some other examples to add to the ones here..

  S x

   
• 

  Suzan Kaplan January 15, 2012 at 7:03pm

  A tricky business indeed! Subtle observations, learning to see!
• 

  carry zaghow-offers January 15, 2012 at 7:41pm

  Lovely piece to! So much character!!!
• 

  SARAH CORBETT January 15, 2012 at 7:42pm

  Hey Suzan.... I love that ...I would love to add that as a description for the jewel tours....learning to see is exactly what it is all about..

  Thanks

  S x
• 

  Toya January 15, 2012 at 7:58pm

  Sarah, when you date enamel in a piece like this are you looking at the color combinations? In other words, are certain shades of colors used in specific time periods? Or are you looking at the quality of the enamel work? This has puzzled me for a long time now.
• 

  Ethnic Embellishments January 15, 2012 at 8:04pm

  I believe that Sarah is an expert at judge enamels based on when they were in use and what they were made from (eg, seed beads from China, etc.)  Speaking of which, I am interested in why the traditional colors in Morocco are yellow and green (some regional turquoise), and later blues in cobalt and sky.  There is such a variety of colors, Uzbek work for example, were these not available in Morocco?
• 

  Toya January 15, 2012 at 8:15pm

  Thank you Hillary. I have older Moroccan enamel pieces that really look quite different than this newer enamel, even when chipped and fading. There is almost a translucent quality to some. I'll post some pictures .
• 

  Ethnic Embellishments January 15, 2012 at 8:38pm

  I have some Kabyle pieces and have noticed that the very old ones tend to use yellow and cobalt enamel (though green can be found).  Then comes yellow, cobalt and a deep green enamel, then yellow, cobalt and lighter green.  I think that it is more difficult to date the Kabyle enamels as there is less Kabyle work available.  I'm basing things on limited personal experience with Kabyle pieces of varying age.  I don't think that the Kabyle jewelers would necessarily have had the same enamel materials available as what was found in Morocco simultaneously.