Featured Help with gigantic East- Indian themed necklace

Hello everyone,

Sometimes you have to go out of your comfort zone and buy something just because its intriguing.
This gigantic necklace has me stumped. It tested partly as silver (the circles and most big ornaments are, the Mexican looking links don't test as silver)
It has absolutely no marks.
The links made me think it could be Mexican.
The necklace has a typical 40-60s Eastern Indian theme going on.
But then again, those glass hearts always scream: BRAND NEW to me...
The necklace is HUGE! Its really big and bold!
What do you make of this? Is it home made yesterday by an amateur who had some mixed metal and silver parts laying around?

 

Looks more African than Indian to me. Looking online, in Africa it's the Ndebele of South Africa who wear them. That might be an indicator of source.

 

Moreotherstuff, thank you for the reply. That might indeed help.
The elephants put me in the East Indian direction in the first place.

 

I'm with mos, it is African inspired.
Not sure if it was made in Africa though, it could be a fashionable 'statement necklace'. I like the 'fantjes'.

That is strange, because it looks like it was made as a complete necklace.

 

Interesting. I don't know what to make of that. I have that same elephant. (Unmarked except for "STERLING" beside tail.) Single elephant on silver chain. 1970s necklace from Shreve's in San Francisco. I think yours may have been assembled by someone very clever. Those clear hearts look newer rather than older and a bit out of theme.

Debora

 

Any Jewelry, thanks for your reply.
A statement necklace it is!
I like fantjes too! Elephants always have had a special place in my heart.

 

Debora, thank you for your reply! Thats really interesting.
I never heard of Shreve's, and will look them up.
I hate those clear hearts! They don't fit at all with the rest.

 

High end jewelry store in SF. I think your necklace was put together by someone who combines old and new elements to create unique jewelry pieces. Suspect it's a modern offering.

Debora

 

Debora,
Great!
Thank you very much for your help

 

And these are particularly cute, real fantjes.

 

I see the internet is calling similars "assemblage" necklaces.

Debora

 

Well there you go, it is a thing.

 

I might 'disassemble' the ugly hearts

 

Good idea.

 

May I be humble,but honest enough to ask-'What is,are Fantje ?' My close AI pal Google let me down again (hungover maybe ?).

 

Bosko: elephant: olifant, olifantje in Dutch (little elephant) so, Fantje

 

I thought You gals were talking about a new dance craze-Hey,I'll bring the Tequila & the Bitterballen.

 

Bosko, thank you for asking! I was also wondering but thought it must be one of those qolloquial words or idioms English is full of. Besides, if I ask every time I wonder, probably half of the forum most of the time will be engaged with my questions

 

It's a lovely little word,i may use it occasionally.

 

Ohhh is that Babar? I love him!
I watched the animation series on tv till I was way to old to watch animation series!
Why is there not an Elephant emoji on this forum?

I was off with the testing of the necklace though...everything is silver. Must have had a bad testing day.