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Ornament

Ornament

  • Place of origin:

    Morocco (made)

  • Date:

    ca. 1860 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Gilt metal inset with glass

  • Museum number:

    590-1868

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

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This gilt ornament is one of an original pair which would have been worn on the sides of the head by a Moroccan woman. The ornament is formed of an open hoop decorated with five drop pendants. The hoop is attached, by means of a chain, to a heart-shaped pendant set with coloured glass and with two further drop pendants. The heart-shaped piece would have been hooked onto a headdress with the hoop hanging from it at approximately ear level. The most decorative part of the hoop could be seen from the front.

The Museum of Ornamental Art (later the Victoria and Albert Museum) purchased the pair at the ‘Exposition Universelle’ in Paris in 1867. The series of international exhibitions held between 1852 and 1900 provided the Museum’s curators with key opportunities to acquire contemporary manufactures.

Physical description

Tubular crescent-shaped earring with five conical pendants, the central one with a glass bead. Below suspended from a long chain is a heart-shaped plaque, set with two green and an orange pastes and two conical pendants inset with red glass. Below this is a long, flat pendant plaque with a hook, for attaching to a headdress.

Place of Origin

Morocco (made)

Date

ca. 1860 (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Gilt metal inset with glass

Dimensions

Diameter: 6.6 cm, Length: 22.5 cm

Object history note

Accessions register entry - 'Earring. One of a pair. Gilt metal hoop with five drop pendants and one heart-shaped ornament hanging from a chain all set with coloured pastes. Modern Moorish. (Paris Exhibition 1867). £2.0.0. the pair.' Pair earring (590A-1868) was NIP and has now been written off.

Historical context note

The Museum of Ornamental Art (later the Victoria and Albert Museum) purchased the pair at the 'Exposition Universelle' in Paris in 1867. The series of international exhibitions held between 1852 and 1900 provided the Museum's curators with key opportunities to acquire contemporary manufactures.

Descriptive line

Head ornament, gilt metal set with glass, Morocco, ca. 1860

Materials

Glass

Categories

Africa; Jewellery

Collection code

MET

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Qr_O79497
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