Case and Chain
1800-1899 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Cypriot jewellery is a rich mix of oriental design and Greek workmanship. Pilgrims to the Holy Land frequently passed through Cyprus, and the Cypriot goldsmiths absorbed influences from Western Europe as well as Ottoman Turkey. Their work is similar to jewellery from elsewhere in the region, but the quality is often higher. For their finest work they used niello or filigree. The goldsmiths of Cyprus were famous for their filigree, often enriched with coloured enamels.
This filigree case was described as a purse when it was bought, but it has also been described as a talisman holder. The circular shape and the chain with decorative rosettes show that it was intended to look like a watch case, an essential accessory for all wealthy men throughout the Ottoman Empire. Its name, ambousta, derives from an Italian word meaning ‘container’.
This filigree case was described as a purse when it was bought, but it has also been described as a talisman holder. The circular shape and the chain with decorative rosettes show that it was intended to look like a watch case, an essential accessory for all wealthy men throughout the Ottoman Empire. Its name, ambousta, derives from an Italian word meaning ‘container’.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver decorated with filigree enamel |
| Brief description | Silver drum-shaped case decorated with coloured enamels on a long silver chain, Cyprus, 1800-1899. |
| Physical description | Shallow cylindrical case with hinged lid. The case is made of sheet silver decorated with green and brown filigree enamel on all sides. There are three lengths of chain attached to the case ending in a hook of sheet silver decorated with a filigree enamel rosette, and with two matching rosettes at equal intervals along the chains. |
| Dimensions |
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| Summary | Cypriot jewellery is a rich mix of oriental design and Greek workmanship. Pilgrims to the Holy Land frequently passed through Cyprus, and the Cypriot goldsmiths absorbed influences from Western Europe as well as Ottoman Turkey. Their work is similar to jewellery from elsewhere in the region, but the quality is often higher. For their finest work they used niello or filigree. The goldsmiths of Cyprus were famous for their filigree, often enriched with coloured enamels. This filigree case was described as a purse when it was bought, but it has also been described as a talisman holder. The circular shape and the chain with decorative rosettes show that it was intended to look like a watch case, an essential accessory for all wealthy men throughout the Ottoman Empire. Its name, ambousta, derives from an Italian word meaning ‘container’. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1444-1903 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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