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Tadjik/Kirghiz(Uighur?) Heritage/Wedding Necklace.

Coral, black glass,onyx and silver beads with pendant.I don`t think this is one of the ones that had a string added each generation as it looks pretty uniform.The silver is a good grade (dark red result from acid testing. The two larger silver wheel beads are inlaid both sides with coral.Photos courtesy of Terri at eBay store Teravintage.
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  • TH, thank you for such glowing praise. I almost said similar in my description but somehow it didn`t seem right.

    It only arrived today so I haven`t been hiding it. My fingers were shaking as I unwrapped it!

    I remember all the discussion on this type of necklace and referred to it while researching before I bid for it. It was wrongly described and the seller accepted my offer - I got really lucky with that buy! I particularly like the fact that the round beads are all inset with coral. Of course, it may well be a 70s restring.

    After spending happy hours trawling the net for these, I think it`s the best one I`ve seen, too. But maybe I`m biased.

  • On further inspection, TH, there may well be jet beads in it rather than glass. It just didn`t occur to me.

  • This is a fantastic find. All of the elements seem to have been together for very long time. Beautiful.

  • TH, what do you think? There are two little flat square beads next to the two smaller silver wheel beads (above in the photo). I haven`t seen anything like them in other necklaces of this type. They are a dark plummy red but don`t seem shiny or cold enough to be of garnet. I wondered if they might be cherry amber. Do you think it`s likely.

    I`ll see if I can find some unglazed ceramic in the house tomorrow to do a jet test with.

  • Thanks, Toya. I always appreciate what I know are educated comments from you.

    I particularly like the elongated silver bicones. Especially because just one odd one has a further embossed figure of eight and dots design within the general design (left one of the central three, shows indistinctly). I would love to think that all these elements have been companions for a long time!

  • This is very nice. All the silver beads.
  • No, TH, not those - I am very familiar with those. I mean the very small ones right next to and above the smaller silver wheel beads but only on one side of them. They are between the silver and what might be a jet bead before five strands of coral start.

  • Phantastic Frankie, you made a great buy here and will have a lot of people look at you when you wear it!

  • Thanks so much, TH, that`s what it is for sure. Yes - just like the green ones you show. I thought you`d be the one to know.

    I wonder how much that has just been dealers bullshit has gone into our historical understanding about ethnic jewellery. I bet it`s quite a lot.

  • Thanks, TH, for that very useful summing up. Good to have it all in one place. However I think it`s Michel Halter who has the necklace with the Xinjiang coins.

    If anyone is interested in Tadjik hairstyles, they might like to do a search for:

    eneva.hubpages.com/hub/Hair-Knots

    I suspect that this is the work of Elena Neva, who is an authority on the the traditions of the region and who has also done extensive research into the jewellery. Unfortunately a lot of it online is lacking in illustration.

    China Wikipedia offers a charming translation of information on Tadjik, Kazakh, Uighur etc nomad life in Chinese territories at:

    www.wiki86.com/view/152118.htm

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