Antique Yemeni Silver Wearable Ethnic Necklace M00504
An ethnic Yemeni Silver Wearable Necklace, which extends to 18.5" long. There is an extension chain attached to the S-hook old clasp, allowing adjusting the length of the necklace from 14" to 18.5". The stringing is original.
There are 29 beads, alternating between berry filigree beads and round hollow beads, with the silver melon bead as a focal. The necklace is finished with fine filigree silver end cones. It weighs 59g. The focal bead is about 15mm in diameter, the round beads are about 13mm, and the berry beads are roughly 10x10mm. The end cones are 43mm long.
Weights and sizes are approximate
The necklace is in good antique condition, but the beads are old, and some imperfections are expected. Please examine the photos for detail.
The necklace dates to the early to mid-1900s. It was likely a part of bridal adornment.
Yemenite jewelry-making goes back to the biblical Queen of Sheba and her gifts of jewelry to King Solomon. Later Islamic rule in Yemen imposed a prohibition on jewelry making on the Muslim population, and the art of Yemenite silversmithing became exclusively the domain of the Jewish community of Yemen, and it is to this community we owe the exquisite pieces of silver jewelry from Yemen. This art was passed from generation to generation. Today, however, the art of Yemenite silversmithing is in decline. Only just a handful of Jewish silversmiths remain in Yemen. Most Jewish families are now in Israel, but fewer and fewer of the young generation engage in the age-old tradition, and the beautiful objects of this trade become more and more of a piece of history.
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COLORS: Our photos are taken in different lighting in an attempt to show how beads look in different lighting conditions. We make every effort to show colors as accurately as possible. The white background photos are taken in daylight conditions. The black background photos are taken in the strong lab light and would be representative of what they would look like in the evening electric light. Some of the photos are backlit to emphasize their translucency. Note that monitor settings strongly affect the way the colors look. What you see on your monitor may differ from what you see with a naked eye depending on your monitor settings.
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