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Necklace

Necklace

  • Place of origin:

    Morocco (made)

  • Date:

    19th century (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Silver gilt, inset with glass pieces

  • Museum number:

    M.97-1909

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

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Necklaces, or lebba, of this kind, were worn by Moroccan brides from Fez and by upper-middle-class women on other festive occasions. The necklace is made of ten fluted ovoid silver gilt beads strung on a green cord separated by nine three-part silver gilt pendants, ending in a crescent-and-moon motif. Each part of the pendant has been decorated with pieces of red and green glass. More expensive versions of this necklace would have been decorated with precious stones. The necklaces were believed to offer protection to the wearer.

Physical description

Elaborate gilt metal necklace on green cord, with gold wire finials braided in three knots. Terminals are twisted wire tassels with gold sequins. Body of necklace comprised of hollow, metal, nibbed oval beads, between them hang large hollow diamond shaped gold beads attached to smaller oval beads, in turn to semi-crescents, and finally teardrop shaped pendants. All encrusted with glass beads of red and green (except nibbed beads).

Place of Origin

Morocco (made)

Date

19th century (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Silver gilt, inset with glass pieces

Dimensions

Length: 107 cm, Length: 10 cm pendant

Object history note

Accessions register entry - 'Necklace ("wroughrabic"[sp?] type) of thin silver gilt beads and pendants set with glass pastes. Ten pointed oval ribbed beads are separated by nine pendants each in three parts linked together:- a larger one of lozenge form with lateral projections; a smaller oval with lobed edge; and a crescent with a pear-shaped drop. Strung on a green silk cord decorated at each end with gold tinsel thread and spangles. Price £1. 15s.
Miss K. Marion Reynolds, 8 Darnley Road, Notting Hill, W.'

Historical context note

See similar example at - http://www.discoverislamicart.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;ma;Mus01_B;36;en

Descriptive line

Necklace, silver gilt inset with glass, Morocco, 19th century

Materials

Glass; Silver-gilt

Categories

Africa; Jewellery; Marriage

Collection code

MET

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Qr_O79766
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