Earring
1850-1900 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
In the 19th century, until their final exodus to Israel in the 1950s, Jewish goldsmiths made most of the silver jewellery in the Yemen. They were particularly renowned for the quality of their filigree work, which was worn and appreciated as much by Muslim as by Jewish women.
This delicate pendant is typical of the kind of fine filigree made by Jewish silversmiths in the 19th century. It was described as an ‘engagement earring worn by Jewish women’ when it was acquired in 1909.
This delicate pendant is typical of the kind of fine filigree made by Jewish silversmiths in the 19th century. It was described as an ‘engagement earring worn by Jewish women’ when it was acquired in 1909.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Silver-gilt filigree with pendent seed pearls and a red glass bead |
Brief description | Silver-gilt filigree earring with seed pearl pendants, Yemen, 1850-1900. |
Physical description | Pear-shaped silver-gilt filigree pendant with applied granule rosettes and a filigree rosette on its base. There is a loop at the top for suspension, and eight loops round the lower edge, from which hang eight strings of seed pearls. There may originally have been 16 strings of seed pearls, as one loop has a double string, and one is empty. Most of the strings have a single red glass bead at the end, and four also end in a hollow pointed silver pendant with a loose silver bead hanging from its lower end. |
Summary | In the 19th century, until their final exodus to Israel in the 1950s, Jewish goldsmiths made most of the silver jewellery in the Yemen. They were particularly renowned for the quality of their filigree work, which was worn and appreciated as much by Muslim as by Jewish women. This delicate pendant is typical of the kind of fine filigree made by Jewish silversmiths in the 19th century. It was described as an ‘engagement earring worn by Jewish women’ when it was acquired in 1909. |
Collection | |
Accession number | M.103-1909 |
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Record created | June 24, 2009 |
Record URL |
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