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Comments
Exquisite!
gorgeous!
Most wonderful and elegant. About how old would you say it is?
Wow, it is gorgeous!. Congratullations!. Is it a traditional design (I think I can see some resemblance with those big Algerian khamsas with a distinctively long central finger) or a more ecclectic one possibly for city dwellers?.
Thanx to everyone.
This is indeed a rare testimony of city dwellers work, it is very pecualiar to the city of "Constantine" and around in north eastern Algeria and has a definite age on it for the following reasons:
-There is a similar kept in the Bardo museum in Algiers which have the best old algerian jewels collection, it has been published in an old edition.
-The bail is not in recent shape and one can still see the additional hook attached to the ring for stringing purposes, opposite to recent khamsas which all have contemporary bails.
-Pearls are very baroque in shape and they have black deposit inside holes, lovely worn patina
-The use of emeralds on algerian gold pieces is very nheard of especially on recent work, vurtually no precious stones but some diamonds for the richest!
-Additionnaly the filgree work even if still being practiced in Algeria is very much less intricate on recent pieces compared to older ones, on this khamsa it is sublime!!
-Last thing, is the size of this pendant which is larger than the recent work which emphasizes on metal economy..it,measures almost 8 cm long, which is huuge in comparison with recent gold khamsa production!
-Like for what Jose noticed, this is a traditional design, actually very old one, the very design that have influenced the rural silver ones found among the Chaouia berbers and related groups!
So rich and elegant, and literally dripping with jewels.
Thank you Alaa for the additional information. The longer I look at this Khamsa, the more beautiful it seems to me.
I am usually not a fan of gold jewellery, but the filigree work combined with emerals and the pearls are a wonderful combination. I own a small Victorian gold ring with the same materials which I bought when I was a student and love to this very day.
Your mentioning of "Constantine" brings up other memories. Believe it or not, but the 18th century my great-great-grandparents emigrated to Constantine, were (that's what I was told) the French tried to create some sort of settlement. They came from a poor country village and (again, that the story my grandma told us), and travelled by horse wagon all around the Mediterranean Sea (I find this part of the story somewhat hard to believe, though). In Constantine the families mother dies and apparently things did no go well in other ways to, so the father decided to return to Germany.
Sorry, for this off-topic remark, I just had to mention this story...
Sorry: ... the emigration story was 19th century, not 18th,of course...
Incredibly sublime, a masterpiece of filigree workmanship.
Yes, indeed a masterpiece. Who would be so fortunate to receive such a gift, I wonder? A bride, perhaps? Someone very special, I think. Certainly someone from a wealthy family.
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