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Comments

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  Frankie Carter December 18, 2011 at 2:48pm

  This has reminded me that, when we lived in Ghana in the sixties, we had a Fulani watchman who wore an amulet. Every so often he would infuse the contents in water to provide a refreshing drink. When I questioned him as to what the contents were, his answer was........ mothballs!! And he seemed quite healthy.

  How I wish now that I`d properly taken in the adornment worn round me at that time, including so much Ashanti gold on the many feast days that it became commonplace.
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  Ethnic Embellishments December 19, 2011 at 1:12am

  Sarah, I'll soon post some photos of two similar pieces , I was curious about these myself.
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  SARAH CORBETT May 6, 2012 at 10:12pm

  For SAle £175
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  ait ouakli May 6, 2012 at 10:18pm

  special piece, verry beautiful. sarah. a just reded your text about the ambergris and the whales. i m actualy behind this story since years. i had discussions with many colectors and traders about the subject. i m searching about concrete fakts. do you know more ??  thank you
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  SARAH CORBETT May 6, 2012 at 10:51pm

  Hi Ait,

  I actually searched for real whale Ambergris in Morocco, it is traditionally dipped into tea to give a boost! It is tricky to find and very expensive, but we did get to see some! Said to be an aphrodisiac! There are a (very) few of these beautiful holders which seem to be made pre 1930. I suspect there was a penchant for ambergris before this time.

  I also found Ambergris on a list of wedding gifts given to a rich saffron growing family from around 1850....not sure where I saved it!!

  so yes an intriguing and almost magical substance!

  Hope my insight helps your researches!

  Sx
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  ait ouakli May 7, 2012 at 8:36am

  thank you sarah. i ended to the subjekt of this ambergris or amberwhales years ago in sahara, i was in a small shop for antique jewelry and items. had  a discussion with the owner. an old man who has treasurs, i wanted to check if a necklace is a real amber ( natural resine from millions years, what is called bernstein ). it was not the case, just an old bakelite. the man was not happy and was all time telling me that is whalamber. was trying to get more infos, he understood it wrond and got irritated. at the end, he sold me only 1 piece of jewelry ( i wanted 5 ). 

  i took this subjekt seriously more than before, asking and searching but i still have no concret result.

  yes, there is a kind of expensive frankincense called olibanum, in arabic luban,originaly from Oman ( the best ) it is the closest to the theorie. another african one called maydi or elemi. almost originaly from ethiopien. the oman one is more expensive and traded with caravnes in the same time with musk ,silk and spices. was used as parfum extract, in food and also in magie.

  i m still puting this product in the categorie of africa mystery. they are there but not really, they exist but not completly. the real and the legend mix together without dissociating. it is somehow the magie  of our encestry.

  Thank you verry much for your help
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  SARAH CORBETT May 7, 2012 at 9:03am

  Hi ait,
  As we all know many tales arise when dealing with amber.
  In this case I think I cAn add some information.
  Ambergris is a secretion from the scent glands of whales. It is Found floating in the sea once it had served oits purpose which for the whale is to clear the stomach of beaks etc from sea birds which the whale cannot digest and is indeed harvested by fishermen. It is a valuable commoDity.
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  SARAH CORBETT May 7, 2012 at 9:08am

  !altic Amber is a light weight boyant substance which floats in salt water. It too can be found floating in the sea and washed onto beaches. The tale of the whale amber is an african tale. Ambergris is being confused with Baltic amber. Itiis simple to understand ow this belief originated.
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  SARAH CORBETT May 7, 2012 at 9:11am

  Luban. Also called slaban- olibanum - gum arabic is a sap from thee frankisence tree
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  ait ouakli May 7, 2012 at 12:09pm

  Sarah.  Thank you , what i know, the luban and baltik amber are both used  the same as what called whalamber . i asked many trader , spices shops owner and medecinplants seller. they all show me the same ( luban or anber )

  do you know or think that whalmaber has been used or still in use and is different than luban and baltikamber. i mean, the sellers/users know deliberatly or were/ are consciouse about the difference and origine.

  this is actualy my point. you know how it is in north africa,many things are beautiful and verry romantic, what i like alot but some how it is interesting to go a bit deeper to know more and exactly about their origines and raisons of beiing there.