Featured Name for this style of Indian wood & silver bangle?

Discussion in 'Jewelry' started by Curioser, Oct 27, 2021.

  1. Curioser

    Curioser Well-Known Member

    Hello Worldly Boarders,
    I have a pair of wood and sterling (tested) bangles which came in a cardboard/metal corners box. The box is stamped with the name "Dhanamal Chellaram, Jeweller, Silk & Curio Merchant" in "Fort, Bombay". I am assuming the bangles were purchased from this vendor.

    Is there a name for this kind of bracelet? Anyone have an idea of the wood species or age? There are non-English/non-numerical marks on each one, I have included photos but I can't say which way the marks should be oriented. I also included the tag with hand-writing. I imagine it may name the item or at least the price?

    Any thoughts? Thanks in advance! Pr_Indian_Wood_Sterling_bangles_box_2.jpg Pr_Indian_Wood_Sterling_bangles_box_3.jpg Pr_Indian_Wood_Sterling_bangles_box_4.jpg Pr_Indian_Wood_Sterling_bangles_box_5.jpg Pr_Indian_Wood_Sterling_bangles_box_6.jpg Pr_Indian_Wood_Sterling_bangles_box_7.jpg
     
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  2. Bakersgma

    Bakersgma Well-Known Member

    They're just bangles I think.
     
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  3. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    ulilwitch, Any Jewelry and judy like this.
  4. kyratango

    kyratango Bug jewellery addiction!

    More than Indian, they rather look like Chinese rattan or bamboo silver bangles!
     
  5. Ownedbybear

    Ownedbybear Well-Known Member

    Marks are Chinese, box looks Raj period, 20s ish. One tag says 1/14 pair.
     
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  6. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    Found shop in 1918 and 1923.

    Debora
     
  7. Curioser

    Curioser Well-Known Member

    Oh, drat! I wrote an extended reply but I wasn't signed in so it's gone! Well, I'll condense: Thanks to all!

    I see the Chinese influence and found eBay pieces labeled Chinese but none from India! Of course, Google search for "Indian" gives you all kinds of American Indian items too, boo! I was wondering if the wood is rattan or bamboo, may not be important.

    So, we have some possibly Chinese bangles in a Bombay box. I'm perplexed. I'll wait for a response from @Any Jewelry before I try to decide how to define it.
     
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  8. kyratango

    kyratango Bug jewellery addiction!

    A box can't identify a provenance, unless it is consistent with era, provenance and obviously fitted for the piece as in old parure cases where you can see the imprint of the jewels;)
    Example:
    Screenshot_20211028-092159_Pinterest_103574278204724.jpg
     
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  9. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Beautiful, Curioser. I'm with @kyratango and @Ownedbybear , definitely Chinese, and rattan and silver. Bangles were often worn in pairs, and could be given as dowry or wedding gifts. I don't know if these were wedding related.

    I also agree with kyra, there is no way of knowing the bangles were originally sold in the box.

    The marks look pretty illegible, but I'll tag @Asian Fever anyway, hoping there is enough there to make out what it says.:nailbiting::)
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2021
  10. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    So sweet but I would suspect box + bangles a marriage.

    Debora
     
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  11. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    Like as not, but why can't Chinese jewellery be sold in an Indian jewellery shop? Indian jewellery is sold in the US, not to mention plenty from China.
     
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  12. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    Yes, of course. But in that era... Hard for me to imagine the circumstances where a Chinese bangle would be imported to India for sale.

    Debora
     
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  13. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    Thought China has been trading for a very long time. Marco Polo & all that. If they wanted ivory, India was the place to get it.
     
  14. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    I don't question the fact that there was trade between India and China.

    Debora
     
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  15. evelyb30

    evelyb30 Well-Known Member

    I'm on the fence about the bangles plus box. India has always made plenty of jewelry, but women like variety so some enterprising jeweler might have imported some just because.
     
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  16. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

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  17. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

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  18. Ownedbybear

    Ownedbybear Well-Known Member

    During the Raj, enterprising shops in India imported all manner of things to sell to the memsahib. That box is a giveaway: the word curios. This wasn't a shop which sold to locals, for want of a better word. Indian women wanted and still want gold.
     
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  19. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    The mentions I found on the internet were all from trade directories for foreigners.

    Debora
     
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  20. Ownedbybear

    Ownedbybear Well-Known Member

    Which makes perfect sense.
     
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