This Ethnic Minority festival necklace is from one of the Miao villages in the mountains outside the city of Tia Jiang. The neckpiece is formed from a hollow silver tube aprox. .5 inches in diameter. The hollow medallion is .5 inches thick. The necklace can be worn comfortably. The silver medallion has elaborate reposse work with an array of symbols of Miao culture and legend. There is a pair of Phoenix birds flying above a pair of dragons who are chasing a fiery pearl enclosing a frog. The ...click for details
This wonderfully detailed Antique pendant is from Tibet. It has silver dragons surrounding a large veined turquoise stone with a smaller coral stone. Additional small bits of turquoise form the background for the dragons tail. The entire scene is backed and bordered with scalloped bronze. The rear of the pendant another oval shaped turquoise stone in a ribbed bezel. The pendent can be easily suspended from a simple black cord using the 2 attached bronze loops.
The pendent is 3 inches acr ...click for details
This wide cuff Chinese bracelet has deeply repousse design composed of detailed symbols related to Miao Ethic Minority myths and legends. Such bracelets would have been worn in matched pairs, one on each wrist, by the women of the "short skirt" Miao of Dan Zhai, and the bracelets would have been handed down from mother to daughter for generations.
The cuff is almost 3 inches at the widest point in the front b ...click for details
Needles were a valued woman's sewing tool and were carefully secured in a special case hanging from the belt. This Chinese silver needle case has 6 sides, each with a delicate repousse floral design. The bottom is weighted with a small turquoise and larger amber bead.
This is a wonderfully detailed silver needle case which was worn hanging from the belt. It has it's original long leather thong and silk tassel. Each side of the silver case has a central stone bead...one coral, one turquoise. The sides of the case (not pictured) have incised cloud/wave pattern. When opened, the case has copper with fabric arm to hold the needles.
For indigenous and nomadic people, needles were an essential and valuable tool for survival of daily life. Because they wer ...click for details
Originally, this Tibetan ornament would have been sewn to the clothing or looped around a belt and worn for festivals.
The upper medallion has a background of traditional wave/clouds patterns. In the center is a coral bead inset into the silver and surrounded with a narrow gilded wave pattern.
The lower medallion has a background of 2 dragons chasing the pearl. Inset into the center of this medallion are 3 coral beads which are surrounded by gilded wave patterns.
The silver is, of course ...click for details
This rare ceremonial Chinese "lock" necklace is Yao ethnic minority. Made from pure bouillon silver, it over weighs 4.5 lbs. The Yao Ethnic Minority groups range from southern China into Northern Thailand. This piece was sourced out of China but may just as easily migrated there with members of the Yao group of Thailand. In Chinese culture the lock necklace acts as a talisman and symbolically "protects" the wearer from ill fortune, much as a lock on a piece of furniture w ...click for details
The Chinese ethnic minority Miao are very fond of silver and would use any festival to display their ornate silver jewelry. This dragon necklace was used by a young girl child from one of the many Miao villages around the hills of Kali. The pendent is 6.5 inches wide, childs' size, but the decorative chain is long enough for an adult to wear. Because the pendent is hollow, it is comfortable to wear. As one moves, the necklace makes a soft tinkling sound.
This antique Chinese silver bracelet is hinged at the back and opens in the front. The silver work displays plant leaves and a bird. The bead work is both coral and turquoise. Bracelet is stamped "China" which according to trade laws makes it late Qing, about 1890. Its in very good condition
