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Comments

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  Betty April 8, 2015 at 7:28pm

  Extremely beautiful necklace!. Do you have any more information about it? Is it gold or gilded silver? I looks like the egg yolk coloured beads might be amber?

  I have similar piece seen described as Indian, but they also resemble the East African and Yemeni "Muria" bead necklaces. I guess this is one of the cases that highlight the lively exchange between the Subcontinent and the Arab Peninsula and the East African Coast. 
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  Richard Gibbs April 8, 2015 at 7:33pm

  Hi there!

  I agree!

  I am told it was given to a "high level" banker in the 1970s.He worked in East Africa and Arabia. From my limited research........ and even less knowledge its either Saudi or Yemeni in origin. Certainly alot of work and skill has gone in to it!  Yes - gold - Ive had it tested
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  Richard Gibbs April 8, 2015 at 7:49pm

  Gold as in Gold (not gilded) worked around some sort of core.......so its quite a heavy thing!
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  Betty April 8, 2015 at 8:17pm

  Thanks for all the info, Richard. Maybe some folks on this forum will be able to say more about it.

  Certainly a very refined and valuable piece. The core might be wood or clay if the beads were worked around this core, or perhaps wax that was filled in later to stabilize the beads.
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  ingrid Langerak April 9, 2015 at 11:53pm

  Richard, this is a most beautiful piece of golden Muria of its kind.This are the golden Muria's from Harrar(Ethiopia), Djibouti and Somalia.    They may vary from almost copper red or light yellow, but all around 16-20 kt gold. depending what it has been mixed with. They are made just like the silver Murias (Wedding necklace) Two halves molded from a mal,,  skilfully soldered together than liquid resin is poured into it to prevent it from denting. I will place again two of mine  to show what I am talking abour.  Congratulations of obtaining such a beauty.  Gr. Ingrid.
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  Richard Gibbs April 10, 2015 at 10:41am

  Greatly Appreciated Ingrid! .......How are they "dayed" ? .....if theyre hand made in a traditional stlye I suppose its difficult

  Slightly worried I may have something valuable now!...........
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  Richard Gibbs April 10, 2015 at 11:13am

  Sorry I .typo ....I mean "dated" ..........and are such valuable / family things likely to have been offered as gifts to outsiders? ( which is what was suggested by previous owner)

  R
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  ingrid Langerak April 10, 2015 at 11:42am

  Richard, they are Wedding necklaces.  Mostly this would be given from the groome to the bride, but it could very well have been presented by a relative or business  relation, because in these countries large wedding gift are  given, but....it is than also expected  to return a equally large gift on a similar occasion (like another wedding). Mind you this is an happening done by wealthy families, poor relatives do also attend the wedding and no presents are expected. 

  Your necklace is a bit of an unusual one, traditionally they are always 13 beads. Yours are of a smaller dimension and have therefore a lot more beads.  (I myself did have one with the smaller beads and they numbered around 24 or so, was sold several years ago.)

  I cannot stress the fact that yours is so.....beautiful and it looks also quite a good amount of gold was used.  Sometimes they can be very thin, that they have worn through to the resin.

  The age will be a difficult factor because I know uptil 1980 they were still wedding gift especially in Djibouti newly made. There is a lovely photo of such a girl from the coast with all her refineries on her wedding day.  Will try to find it. The ones sold in Ethiopia like mine are from about 1930.  Because in the 1960s modern jewelry came into fashion. Gr. Ingrid

  Now
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  Betty April 10, 2015 at 12:28pm

  Great information, Ingrid! Thank you. Why did I not remember your gorgeous gold Murias???
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  ingrid Langerak April 10, 2015 at 12:43pm

  Thank you Betty, I think it got drowned in all the other photos I places.

  Gr. Ingrid.