Photos

Comments

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  Marie-Ange March 10, 2012 at 2:40pm

  is it a big piece?  I love all the lovers and the coloured stones.
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  ait ouakli March 10, 2012 at 2:51pm

  frankie,  s it gipsy  ??
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  ait ouakli March 10, 2012 at 2:51pm

  verry nice
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  Chantal March 10, 2012 at 3:06pm

  Hi Frankie,

  I trust you've arrived safely in Bulgaria.

  The pieces you posted are  beautiful...........but looked very eastern to me as well. Ottoman legacy? Are they from  a museum ? Bulgaria is not particularly renown for its ethnic jewels (the way for example Morocco or Ethiopia or Yemen are)? or am I  totally wrong?
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  ait ouakli March 10, 2012 at 3:46pm

  chantal

  bulgaria, has e verry nice and old culture it was the bridge between the orient and occiden. but as all ex socialist countrys, the culture suffered a lot and the system wanted to even exterminate it
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  Chantal March 10, 2012 at 3:52pm

  Frankie, your display is amazing. I am very SORRY that you dont own them(!).As you've probably guessed I dont know anything about Bulgarian culture and  I would have said that all these treasures were Turkish or ottoman.Just as well you told us you did not own them, we would all have been queuing at your doorstep to admire  them (and have a cup of tea).
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  Frankie Carter March 10, 2012 at 3:57pm

  You`re not wrong at all Chantal, though I have no idea why. The more so since Bulgaians are great self-publicists and have vast pride in their cultural pursuits and objects. I`m not in Bulgaria yet. Just gearing up to go mid next week. I`m crossing fingers that I can get back online there pretty swiftly but can`t be sure.

  None of these pieces of Bulgarian jewellery are mine. Irritatingly the publication gives no indication of where they might be found. I`m sure some at least will be in museums.

  There is an Ottoman look here but I`ll reiterate something I`ve commented earlier - the Ottomans themselves absorbed the ethnic styles of their conquered lands too. As so frequently happens.

  ait ouakli - no, it`s not neccessarily gipsy. But here we`re getting into a whole "different can of worms". Many Bulgarians call immigrant Turks gipsies. It`s due to much extreme cruelties inflicted on them when Bulgaria was under Turkish dominion. It`s a big social problem there.

  I daresay that, if Bulgaria had had the chance, it would have inflicted just as dire cruelties on the Turks.

  One sees decorations such as these worn during the many Bulgarian traditional dance displays that occur during the warmer times of the year.
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  Frankie Carter March 10, 2012 at 4:07pm

  Chantal, you`d all be most welcome! I`d put the samovar on - I do have one. I`d even supply cakes. They`re very keen on their sweet things out there. You could even stay a bit, as long as you don`t mind sleeping in the barns with the cats!
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  Chantal March 10, 2012 at 4:21pm

  This offers sounds very tempting , the samovar, the cakes, the hay scented barn (or would that be cow pats?) but the clinching bit is the cats (no great change thhere, I already sleep with 3 every night).

  Thanks, Frankie. I do hope that your internet will be sorted quick! You can then research these spelendid jewels and tell us where they are. (they may be in the States!)
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  Frankie Carter March 10, 2012 at 5:04pm

  No, no cow pats in the barn, Chantal. Many on the lane outside and could be that I`ll be incorporating some into cob mud for brick building. Thought the cats would clinch it!

  Hope not too many jewels are in the States. I know there are a few in shops.