Photos

Comments

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  Lynn Ardent March 7, 2015 at 11:38pm

  Back: 

  
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  Lynn Ardent March 7, 2015 at 11:43pm

  And a picture head-on.  

  
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  ingrid Langerak March 8, 2015 at 7:04am

  Lynn, Very nice and strong piece, absolutely the protective eye against evil, this one is quite powerful.

  Very much used in Greece but more in the bead shape.  So I wonder if it is not more from Turkey?

  As an overflow from its neighbouring country and the niello work? Gr. Ingrid.
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  ingrid Langerak March 8, 2015 at 7:05am

  Also  a striking and beautiful work.
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  Alaa eddine SAGID March 8, 2015 at 4:23pm

  I am pretty sire it is belt related, i think it is half belt buckles. I have noticed many belt buckles were in total despair of finding their other halves...and end up being offered on the market as such.

  As for the workmanship, anywhere around ottoman turkey is likely from Caucasus to balkans...It doesnt help much, sorry!
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  Lynn Ardent March 8, 2015 at 5:51pm

  Interesting Alaa!  Yes, it could be a very small half buckle.  The part that was cut away on the back could have been a hook.   Thank you!

  Thank you Ingrid.  Yes, I find it striking as well.  I will put this away and try restoring the missing silver thread and niello at some point.  
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  Peter Hoesli March 8, 2015 at 7:07pm

  Dear Lynn; This is a lovely piece. I cannot imagine that this pattern was used double beside each other. If it is a buckle then it should be the center piece. I have seen the upper part design on several other buckles from the Ottoman region. I agree with you that the Niello design originates from more north, maybe Dagestan. With kind regards. Peter
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  Linda Pastorino March 11, 2015 at 10:26pm

  Yes this appears to be a buckle without the other side of it.  this looks to be from Dagestan from the Kabardian people. 
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  ingrid Langerak March 11, 2015 at 10:37pm

  Linda, you sound very knowledgeable and sure about this beautiful piece, which for me made me think of the protective eye from Turkey, do the Kabardian people also strongly believe in it? Most probably a cross border culture, like the jewelry Yemen/Ethiopia. Just curious. Gr. Ingrid.
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  Linda Pastorino March 11, 2015 at 10:57pm

  Since the many people that live in Dagestan are from differing back rounds which also include Mongolian I would say that it 's a mixture of cultures which also include Ottoman obviously and Persian. It is a very interesting culture , google it and see.  Half belts are coming up on Ebay , seen them and are less expensive but obviously it is also a fragment so the value is not the same as a complete buckle with which this is a very nice and unusual example.