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Big silver Turkmen ring, worn by people of the Teke tribe, Central Asia. The Yuzuk ring is very simple. A large carnelian is set in a wide silver band, a thin twisted wire running around the base of the stone. The band may be decorated with a relief, sometimes a very complicated one, but the general effect is always that of monumentality and severity. High-grade silver, gilded silver and a big old carnelian bead on top. From the first quarter of the 20th century or earlier. Dimensions: Top of the ring: 2,5 cm Ring size: 18 mm (inner diameter) or 7 3/4 (US size) Provenance: German private collection. Literature: “Bagues ethniques d’afrique, d’Asie et d’Amerique”, van Cutsem, Anne, Skira, 2000, p.112 “Jewelry from the Orient (Bir Collection)”, Seiwert, Wolf Dieter, Arnoldsche, 2009, p.261 “Schmuck aus Zentralasien”, Prokot, Inge and Joachim Callwey, Verlag München, 1981, p. 142 “The arts and crafts of Turkestan”, Kalter, Johannes, Thames and Hudson, 1983, p.127 “Der Turkmenenschmuck”, Rudolph, Hermann, Museum für Völkerkunde, 1984, p. 251 CA147
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Big silver Turkmen ring, worn by people of the Teke tribe, Central Asia. The Yuzuk ring is very simple. A large carnelian is set in a wide silver band, a thin twisted wire running around the base of the stone. The band may be decorated with a relief, sometimes a very complicated one, but the general effect is always that of monumentality and severity. High-grade silver, and a big old carnelian bead on top. From the first quarter of the 20th century or earlier. Dimensions: Top of the ring: 3 cm Ring size: 18,5 mm (inner diameter) or 8 1/4 (US size) Literature: “Bagues ethniques d'afrique, d'Asie et d'Amerique”, van Cutsem, Anne, Skira, 2000, p.112 “Jewelry from the Orient (Bir Collection)”, Seiwert, Wolf Dieter, Arnoldsche, 2009, p.261 “Schmuck aus Zentralasien”, Prokot, Inge and Joachim Callwey, Verlag München, 1981, p. 142 “The arts and crafts of Turkestan”, Kalter, Johannes, Thames and Hudson, 1983, p.127 “Der Turkmenenschmuck”, Rudolph, Hermann, Museum für Völkerkunde, 1984, p. 251 CA77
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Silver ring from India, with a foil-backed clear-glass “stone”. Glass and high-grade silver. Age: mid-20th century Dimensions: Top of the ring: 4,9 cm Ring size: 19,75 mm inner diameter or US size 9 3/4 Literature: “Bagues ethniques d'afrique, d'Asie et d'Amerique”, van Cutsem, Anne, Skira, 2000 IND1607
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Silver ring, most probably from the Sindh region in Pakistan. Anne van Cutsem mentions (see literature) that these rings come from Pashtun tribes. Glass and high-grade silver. Age: First half of the 20th century Provenance: UK private collection. The size of the ring is 18 mm - inner diameter (7 3/4 US size) . The top of the ring measures 35 x 35 mm. Literature: “Bagues ethniques d'afrique, d'Asie et d'Amerique”, van Cutsem, Anne, Skira, 2000, p. 120 CA127
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Old Kazakh silver ring from Central Asia, with very nice worn patina. The oval bezel setting is backed with red paper. High grade silver. From the 19th or early 20th century. Provenance: German private collection. Size of the ring: 18,25 mm (inner diameter) - US size 8. Literature: “Later Islamic Jewellery”, L.A. Mayer Institute for Islamic Art, Jerusalem, 1987, p. 143 “The arts and crafts of Turkestan”, Kalter, Johannes, Thames and Hudson, 1983, p. 127 CA144
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Bronze lime container that is suspended from a waist band. Worn by Naga people. Lime is needed for the betel preparation. From the 19th century, very nice patina. Due to the accumulation of lime on the edges the container doesn’t close totally. Dimensions: 6,5 x 5,5 x 5 cm Literature: “Ceintures ethniques d'Afrique d'Asie, d'Océanie et d'Amérique”, Leurquin, Anne, Skira, 2004, p. 160 A similar example can be seen in the collection of the British Museum (London): https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_As1982-19-134-a-b IND1615
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Old Chinese silver chatelaine pendant with a grooming kit. This type of chatelain is often suspended from a loop on the shoulder or from the back of a neck ring. Silver has not been tested. The central pendant depicts two men on both sides that may represent Hehe, the heavenly Twins that brings harmony, blessings and health. From the first half of the 20th Century. The pendant measures 30 cm high (11,81 in). It weighs 42 gr. SEA173
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Old bone earplugs from the Hill tribes living in South East Asia, most probably from Laos or Vietnam. This type of ear ornaments was worn by both men and women. They have to be wear on extended earlobes holes. By the end of the Seventies it was already rare to see men and women wearing these earplugs, and nowadays they are very difficult to find. Dimensions: Length: 36 mm Bigger diameter: 21 mm Smaller diameter (at the centre): 16 mm Weight: 31,4 gr Reference: “A world of earrings. Africa, Asia, America”, van Cutsem, Anne, Skira, 2001 SEA221
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Black Yao back adornment, from different subgroups like the Iu Mien, inhabiting Laos and Thailand. It is made with long cotton streamers which hang on the back of the tunic collars. The top is made with enamel medals (both sides), silver bells and glass beads. Traditionally this dark burgundy red is used. The most recent ones used a much brighter red. From the 1st half of 20th century. Dimensions: Length: 65 cm Width on top (with beads): 9 cm Reference: “The Yao” Pourret, Jess G.,River Books, Bangkok, 2002 SEA226
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Silver earrings from the Hill Tribes, especially the Hmong ethnic minority, living in the Golden triangle in SE Asia. Very small and delicate dangles hang from them. Made of high grade +800 silver (tested). From mid-XXth Century or earlier. Miao and Hmong silver, made of outstandingly fine silver, are also notable for their clean forms. Whereas rings are very rare, we know of an incredible number of types of earrings, and variations on a single theme. According to van Cutsem, these types of earrings already become rare by the late 70's. The earrings measure - with dangles 8 cm (3,15 in). The gauge is approx. 4 mm. Both of them weigh 12 gr. Reference: “A world of earrings. Africa, Asia, America”, van Cutsem, Anne, Skira, 2001 “The art of silver jewellery”, Skira, 2006 “Peoples of the golden triangle”, Lewin, Paul and Elaine, River Books, Bangkok SEA285
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Old tribal ring, worn in the African Sahel, in Mali and Niger by the Soninke or Sarakole people, also worn by the Fulani or Peul people and the Tuareg from the south. The silver has a beautiful patina. From the first half of the 20th century. This is a heavy example, made with a massive silver piece with engravings and copper inlay (on top). The ring size is 7 1/4 (American size) - 17,5 mm diameter. The top measures (diameter) 2,5 cm It weighs 28,7 gr. Literature: “Bagues ethniques d'afrique, d'Asie et d'Amerique”, van Cutsem, Anne, Skira, 2000 WA105
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Old silver ring, made of high grade silver and a glass inset on top and on both sides, most probably from Afghanistan. From the first half of the 20th Century. This ring is 18,50 mm - US 8 1/4 Provenance: UK private collection. CA113
