What's it?

Light yellow brass. Cast in a number of pieces. Some parts are applied sheet. Two halves. I can't see how they're joined. Hollow inside but weighs one pound fourteen ounces.

 

It sure looks like a bracelet, but the wearer would have to be sort of a gorilla...

 

Hi,
I remember some where in my mind that a tribe in Africa (?) fashioned these things on the ankles of their young female members. WAG
greg

 

found this on Pinterest

"India | Antique anklet; bronze with silver wash and beautiful geometric designs | 175$"

(the site that originally had it for sale is no longer accessible)

Here's the photo ....


there's also some that sold on etsy that have been re-purposed into candleholders

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/241807966/vintage-heavy-brass-bronze-ankle

 

Hi Quirky,
Thanks for your photo. I guess India it is. I was not sure about Africa that is why I (?) it.
greg

 

I don't always trust pinterest/ebay/auction attributions.....
but here is a very similar object, described as an antique African slave bracelet. Says it locks with two pins; also used as currency....
http://www.thecobbs.com/auction-2012-07-07-lot-374A.html

 

Hi Fakes,
I give up my mind must be going. I am crawling back into my cave and mutter.
greg

 

Greg, my mind went to Africa first too! I was Googling heavy brass Ethiopian bracelet when I started to see similar ones to Terry's show up from India. They must make something similar in Africa for us both to think of it

 

And an image search for African slave bracelet turns up several similar items...
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...celet&qpvt=african+slave+bracelet&FORM=IQFRML
I'm kind of liking African more than Indian.....

Of course, maybe all that means is that this sort of thing is frequently mis-identified....I'm such a skeptic.....

 

Hi,
I am seeing it on an ankle instead of bracelet. perhaps it is me.
greg

 

I see a number like this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Afr...001706?hash=item464c12a7aa:g:MZAAAOSwfZ1WYS0K
describing it as African. I would not doubt at all if there were actual antique African ones selling for money, that the India casters would be making fakes. Funny thing is, I don't see any yet that look completely identical.

 

Your bracelet is nice, but..... What a ruler do you have? My hair stands up.... so long I was trying to understand how big you item is.

 

The one in Quirkygirl's first photo is very similar to Terry's, but has the same design on both sides, while Terry's has different designs on front and back. The candleholder-modified ones are quite close also.
I could see it more on an ankle than a wrist, but I have a feeling that in recent years they were mostly made for sale rather than fastened to actual slaves.....either in Africa or very possibly India also.
And that is a nice ruler, subdivided in 64ths of an inch!

 

It has a really good aged look to it. Perhaps faked, but good looking.

There are two rows of tiny holes in the design on the bottom side. Most of the holes are filled with crud. They can be cleaned out with a pin and a little effort. None of these holes in the top side.


For those holes to be there, they must have had a use like for dangly things. They couldn't have been in the casting, they're too small and uniform.

 

Yes.