Featured Bone? Tibetan Necklace...

I've been keeping a subtle look out for bone etc after all the threads posted here that I've lurked in lately. I'm not sure its entirely my thing but I wanted the practice.

I think I found it in this necklace? Bought off of a lady who had some rather nice things, she said it was Tibetan, but not much else (unless I missed it in translation haha). Its missing one of the strands, but a quick snip will fix that problem.

Whats the concensus on this one?





As always thank you <3​

 

I'd have figured it for Indian right from the jump. The metal is Indian for sure, and the beads could be as well. I suppose someone in Tibet could have assembled it, but I'd have figured it for 1980s-1990s India.

 

I'm seeing bone.

 

I'm seeing old thread and a piece of bone that cracked so badly on the left side....!!
that it was removed..

well actually...I don't see that....but its reasonable to assume !

1950's.......give or take..

 

To some people everything Asian is Tibetan.

That is exactly what it is. (Tibetan, my foot, mumble mumble....)

Ditto.
If you leave out the other cracked beads when you restring the necklace, it'll look fine.

 

Yay!

I was thinking its just a funky assortment, but when I was taking photos I saw there was definitely a piece missing.

Thanks so much! I see what you mean with the metal, so Indian it is.

..other cracked beads? I'll have to go over it more closely I think Is it the big one? I thought those were on purpose, but it kinda looks like its split further than it should do.

 

Yes, the big one. I thought it was three stuck together by goo, but yes, definitely badly cracked.

The one on the corresponding side probably cracked earlier, and was taken out, then this one cracked and the former owner just gave up.
You can still use the rest to remodel this necklace, or for parts.

 

Drat, they're so evenly spaced I thought they were purposeful. Thanks for the heads up!

 

Yes, they are evenly spaced. I am starting to wonder now if komo and I are wrong, but they do look cracked, and I've never seen anything like it in bone beads before.

 

Looking at it now, its got 8 of those cracks, on alternating ends and pretty evenly spaced. The points and edges are smooth, not jagged like cracks. Odd!

 

What makes you say 50s as opposed to later? I'd love to know what goes into dating these things!

 

Bone tends to split, so you rarely have jagged edges.

Puzzling.

 

Dating is difficult, but I usually think of when this style was fashionable and exported from India. My guess is 1970s.

 

I do like a puzzle! And good to know re: edges. Thank you!

Oh that would make sense, cool!

 

Unless u know who bought it and where and when, these are guesstimates...

I go by what I see , & what I think I now from experience..

The discolouration of the bone....
the atmospheric dirt, and grime where the beads are cut into...
the metal spacers , all handmade, some scored some not...
the the bundle twist cotton thread ....

I try to estimate the age and wear of these factors...!


" they're so evenly spaced I thought they were purposeful"

look closer....!!
do u see the spot where they are not evenly spaced??
...
...
..
right under the clasp on the left side....!!!!!

that extra spacing and the long loose threads show that a large bead on the left side was removed, and there was alteration and or repair to both sides...!!!

imo !

 

Those are typical of traditional metal beads that are made to this day in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan.

Rachel meant the cracks in the one large bead.

Absolutely. A lot has been done to this necklace.
It is possible to make it presentable again, but it will always be a low value item.

 

ok then.........

 

I have a similarly designed necklace with the same hardware that I bought in the late 80s, so I know for sure it was around then. Another one was early 90s with the same findings and bone beads. They may have been shipped to Europe even earlier for all I'd know.

 

Excellent, thank you all for your input! As always very much valued