Photos

Comments

• 

  Peter Hoesli July 14, 2015 at 9:55pm

  Oh Jose, this necklace does look very nice! Very special indeed! With kind regards. Peter
• 

  Thelma July 15, 2015 at 8:49am

  This is so beautiful, Jose. Interesting how the two bottom crescent moon shapes are mounted in opposition to the top one. Absolutely lovely stones ... carnelians (?). And the coins .. the dates seem to be quite old. Fantastic, interesting.
• 

  Mustafa J. Salem July 15, 2015 at 8:57am

  That is beautiful and valuable  necklace Jose. I love the combination of stones and gilt silver. It is also nice to have Otoman coins with very old dates on  one side and  a 'tughra' on the other  indicating that this necklace was crafted since quite some time. Congratulations Jose for  this nice item.
• 

  Betty July 15, 2015 at 2:14pm

  What a fabulous piece, Jose - first time I see something of the kind...

  I can only join the choir of praise...
• 

  Jose M. Pery July 15, 2015 at 4:59pm

  Thanks to all for your nice comments. The necklace is certainly very original and it looks great in the real. The stones are agates, cornelians (I think) and some tiny bits of turquoise. Thelma is right about the upper crescent not facing down. That is usual in Northern Egypt pieces (were rather than a chain a strap of cloth is used) and in Nubian pieces(for example Sinn'aj pendants). I guess that in this case it was found more convenient to change the normal arrangement so that it was easier to use as a necklace with a chain. As to the coins I am not sure that they are real ones but simply stamped with a coin design. That is also quite common in pieces of folk Egyptian jewelry. The seller told me that he had bought it at an antique dealer, I cannot remember whether it was in Cairo and Alexandria, and that he thought it was from the 1930's-40's. That would make sense to me. I would think that it is a fancy urban necklace of that period in the context of a Zar ceremony. Of course, any further ideas will be welcome.
• 

  Alaa eddine SAGID July 16, 2015 at 7:22pm

  Fascinating.

  Dating is likely to be correct and makes sense to me as well, the carved carnelian beads and the way they are strung on metal wires are often found on jewels from this era and even on earlier jewels.

  there is something for everyone on this gem: fish, beads, turquoise, engraving, inscription, coins...very complete!
• 

  Joost Daalder July 17, 2015 at 9:13am

  A great necklace, Jose, and the extensive information supplied in the various posts is really great as well!