Can anyone help?

Discussion in 'Antique Discussion' started by Sinciera Smith, Apr 22, 2019.

  1. Sinciera Smith

    Sinciera Smith New Member

    Hi! I found this necklace in my mother's house after she passed on. I can't find it online but have found a few similar but doesn't have as many different items on them. Does anyone have any ideas or information about this necklace? I really appreciate it.https://drive.google.com/open?
     
    Any Jewelry likes this.
  2. i need help

    i need help Moderator Moderator

    I think Yemen, just to get you started. @Any Jewelry will be by later, or others may know. It’s a prayer box. Maybe amber beads. Use hirz amulet as search term.
     
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2019
  3. SBSVC

    SBSVC Well-Known Member

    Welcome, Sinciera! Here's your necklace, so everyone can see it:
    img0 (101).jpg
     
  4. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    get a close up of those???...coins???
     
    i need help likes this.
  5. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Yes, it is a Yemeni hirz or amulet box necklace, lovely.
    Hirz is the name for the amulet box in the centre, which would have held either healing or protective texts from the scriptures, talismanic stones, bits of cloth, herbs.
    I think this necklace was made in the regions near the southern Red Sea coast, north of Aden.
    [​IMG]

    These necklaces were often assembled using parts from older necklaces that were broken. That is why no two are exactly the same. You can see that the pendants have different loops and decorations, they are by different makers.

    In this case the pendants all look silver, with one clear Maria Theresia Taler (MTT) pendant to the right of the amulet box. The one on the other side of the box could be a hammered MTT.
    The MTT was an Austro-Hungarian coin with a guaranteed silver fineness of .833, or 83.3%. Which is why it was very popular in the Middle East and parts of Africa where there were no assay offices.
    The amulet box is relatively small, and could originally have been attached to a man's belt.
    The other pendants are silver as well.
    I don't know if the other coins are Yemeni or from a neighbouring country. If you post photos of both sides of the coins we can find out more. Please post them in the thread, and click on 'full image' when you do.

    The beads of the necklace itself could be a lower grade silver.
    The yellow beads are either faux amber or a pressed amber composite with a type of artificial resin. They don't look 100% real amber to me, but it is best to test them to be sure. Don't use any tests that could damage the beads, the best is UV light.
    Do you have a UV flashlight to see if they fluoresce? With this egg yolk colour bead you would be likely to see a pinkish glow as well as bright light yellow if they are amber.
    Please don't be disappointed if they are not real amber, old faux or composite amber beads are also quite valuable.
     
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2019
    axelrich, komokwa, patd8643 and 2 others like this.
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