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Comments
These are quite lovely and intriguing. I wonder if they were made elsewhere and then augmented by Yemeni jewelers, or made in Yemen in (mostly) the Ottoman style. I particularly like the unusual oval filigree plaques on this piece. It must have taken ages to make.
Dear Lynn; Below you can find another such belt, which I will receive in coming February directly from Bulgaria. As you can seen, they both are almost identical. I assume that they were made in different locations but following a strict Ottoman pattern - "Standard Operating Procedure"... It is amazing that belts can be almost identical coming from so different locations. With kind regards. Peter
wonderful work, love the filigree pieces set together.
I agree with Peter on the ‘Standard Operating Procedure", which is (in my opinion) the result of ‘fashion’ and ‘prestige’. Local high class (in Yemen, Bulgaria and other former Ottoman territories) often privileged the high late-Ottoman style (originating in Istanbul) over the local styles, in order to be part of the most prestigious and powerful circles. One can compare it with the nowadays brands: you don’t need to be French to wear a ‘Cartier’ watch or jewel; but it says a lot about your social status (or your ambitions). The big difference with the 19th century is: original designs were not protected, and transport (from Istanbul to Yemen/Bulgaria/etc.) was more difficult and costly than it would be today. Thus, as demand creates supply, some local goldsmiths specialized in high-class Ottoman jewelry, so close to the original pieces that it is often difficult to make the distinction.