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Elbow bracelet called “iwuki” or “aweyka”. It is a large ring carved in stone (or sometimes wood) worn by men above the elbow. It could be worn alone or with other similar bracelets. The stone is sourced in the Aïr desert. It fell into disuse at the end of the 20th century except for the Fulani Bororo (woodabé), who borrowed them from the Tuareg and wear it frequently, still today. Each shape has a different name. Inner diameter: 8,5 cm Literature: “Bijoux tuaregs”, Burner, Jean, Éditions du Fournel, 2011, p. 254 WA125
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"Hombori" stone bracelet, West Africa. Hombori is the name of a chain of mountains, and the region around. Dogon, Songhai, Fulani, Mossi, Frafra and some other groups wear this sort of bracelets. The region is rich in different stones, one of them is this kind of marble. From the 19th century or early 20th. Provenance: ex-UK private collection. Dimensions: Total diameter: 11 cm Inner diameter: 7,5 cm Width: 2,4 cm Weight: 235,4 gr Literature: “Africa Adorned”, Fisher, Angela, Collins Harvill, London, 1984, pag. 120-121 “African Hats and jewellery”, Clarke, Duncan, PRC Publishing, 1998, p.43 “Bracelets ethniques d'afrique, d'Asie d'Océanie et d'Amérique”, van Cutsem, Anne, Skira, 2002, p. 45 WA121
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"Hombori" stone bracelet, West Africa. Hombori is the name of a chain of mountains, and the region around. Dogon, Songhai, Fulani, Mossi, Frafra and some other groups wear this sort of bracelets. The region is rich in different stones, one of them is this kind of marble. From the 19th century or early 20th. Provenance: ex-UK private collection. Dimensions: Total diameter: 10 cm Inner diameter: 8 cm Width: 3 cm Weight: 235,4 gr Literature: “Africa Adorned”, Fisher, Angela, Collins Harvill, London, 1984, pag. 120-121 “African Hats and jewellery”, Clarke, Duncan, PRC Publishing, 1998, p.43 “Bracelets ethniques d'afrique, d'Asie d'Océanie et d'Amérique”, van Cutsem, Anne, Skira, 2002, p. 45 WA124
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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. The silver has a beautiful patina. From the first half of the 20th century. The ring size is 6 1/2 (American size) - 17 mm inner diameter. The top measures 3 x 2,3 cm It weighs 25 gr. Literature: “Bagues ethniques d’afrique, d’Asie et d’Amerique”, van Cutsem, Anne, Skira, 2000 WA91
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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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Pair of African bronze anklets, worn by Lobi tribe in Burkina Fasso. From the first half of the 20th century. Provenance: French private collection. Dimensions: 15 x 9 cm Weight: 1068 gr WA172
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Pair of moulded and chased fibulas from Essaouira, Morocco, worn by the Ait Haha people. These fibulas were collected in the mid of the last century by a Spanish doctor living in the area. The shape is a remainder of a ram’s head, which is a very important animal since pre-historic times. From early 20th century. It is hallmarked as Essaouira 1332 (1913) and a rooster head on the back. Dimensions: 13 x 8,5 cm Weight: 97,1 gr Literature: “Bijoux Berbéres Au Marroc dans la tradition judeo-arab”, Rouach, David, ACR Edition, 1989, p. 110 “Les fibules, deux mille ans en Afrique du N”, Rabaté. Marie-Rose, ACR Edition, 2013, p. 183 “Berber Memoires”, Draguet, Michel, Mercator fonds, Yale, 2021, p. 117 ss “Bijoux du Marroc. Du Haut Atlas à la Vallée du Draa”, Rabaté, Marie-rose et Jacques, Edisuc/Le Fennec, 1996, p. 163 MAR271
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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. The silver has a beautiful patina. From the first half of the 20th century. The ring size is 8 (American size) – 18,5 mm inner diameter. The top measures 3,6 x 2,2 cm It weighs 29,6 gr. Literature: “Bagues ethniques d’afrique, d’Asie et d’Amerique”, van Cutsem, Anne, Skira, 2000 WA90
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Big silver ornament worn on the back of the head attached to the headdress as an amulet, to protect against evil eye. Used by the Tuaregs Tel-Aïr, from Niger. It is also used as pectoral in the Hoggar region, and as temporal in certain occasions. The five triangular small pendants have also a protective meaning. One of them is missing in the central lower pendant. From the 1st half of the 20th century. Materials: Silver, leather, copper, brass, and iron on the back. Provenance: German private collection. Dimensions: Total height with leather cord: 54 cm Size of the biggest amulet: 13,5 x 16 cm Literature: “Jewelry from the Orient (Bir Collection)”, Seiwert, Wolf Dieter, Arnoldsche, 2009 “Bijoux tuaregs”, Burner, Jean, Éditions du Fournel, 2011, p.163-5 “Colliers ethniques d'Afrique d'Asie, d'Océanie et d'Amérique”, Leurquin, Anne, Skira, 2003, p. 52 “Tuaregs. Nòmades del desert“, Fundació la Caixa, 2002, p.131 WA147
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Silver and coral earrings which were worn in the Western Rif area in North Morocco, according to Rouach (see literature). High-grade silver (hallmarked with the “Tête de belier”) and coral. The frontal plate of the loops is inset with colourful glass pieces, all in good condition. From the beginning of the 20th century. Provenance: German private collection. Dimensions: Size (each): 10,5 x 6 cm Weight: 75,6 gr Literature: “A world of earrings. Africa, Asia America”, van Cutsem, Anne, Skira, 2001, p.20 “Bijoux Berbéres Au Marroc dans la tradition judeo-arab”, Rouach, David, ACR Edition, 1989, p. 62 ““Splendeurs du Marroc” Editions plume, 1998, p.219 MAR292
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Fulani (Peul) necklace, made with very old carnelian round beads, old Czech glass beads and skunk old Venetian glass beads. This type of necklaces is valued by many of the Fulani groups, and women wear several strands at the same time. Carnelian is believed to ease menstrual pains and help cure sicknesses of the blood. The carnelian arriving for centuries to the West African cultures came from the mines in Gujarat, India, first through the Arab trade boats and then by caravan crossing Africa from East to West. Dimensions: Length: 80 cm The round carnelian beads measure 1 cm. Weight: 152,9 gr. Literature: “Africa Adorned”, Fisher, Angela, Collins Harvill, London, 1984, p. 169 WA166
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Old silver Rashaïda bracelet, finely decorated. This type of bracelets can be found in Ethiopia, Yemen, and Sudan, and were used in the upper part of the arm. From the first half 20th Century or earlier. High-grade silver (tested). Dimensions: Total diameter: 14 cm Inner diameter: 7 cm Width: 2,7 cm Weight: 215,8 gr Literature: “Bracelets ethniques d'afrique, d'Asie d'Océanie et d'Amérique”, van Cutsem, Anne, Skira, 2002 “Africa Adorned”, Fisher, Angela, Collins Harvill, London, 1984 “Silver treasures from the land of Sheba”, Ransom. Marjorie, The American university in Cairo Press, 2014 ME181
