Featured Plaited bracelet

Any thoughts on this bracelet please oh wise ones?
It tests as silver but not marked so I suspect maybe 800?
The black threads are almost like hard rubber- vulcanite?. My only experience of vulcanite is it was used to make bits for horses but that's what it feels like.
It's very dirty and I haven't had chance to clean it yet. Modern or some age?
Thankyou

 

In photos black elements look like (deliberately) patinated/oxidized silver. It's meant to be that way, if you clean, some may come off.

 

I'll have a closer look under a higher mag loupe.

 

Not an old one. I've seen similar hook clasps on pieces from more than one country, so no idea where it came from.

 

Might the dark elements be leather? It reminds me of contemporary "Viking/Celtic" style jewelry that combines silver and black leather, or Sami jewelry (although they use a wound pewter wire rather than silver).

 

That was my first thought. They make silver jewellery as well, but as you said, those braided bracelets are not silver. And I have never seen them with links, so probably not Sami.

Sorry, totally useless post. As you were.

 

Elephant hair was quite popular, for a time... IDK if that's what you have.

It looks a little bumpy - may be chain or cord covered in some kind of rubber/plastic...

 

It does look like elephant hair!

 

I don't think elephant hair could have a rectangular cross section (see far left of pic) or produce those hot spots in the photo.



It was only from hot spots appearing in photos that I came to realize a recent intaglio acquisition has traces of gold in the impression too tiny for my unaided eyes to see.

 

My other argument is how much easier it would be for the maker to work with a single material instead of mixing in something with different properties.

 

Sorry Bronwen, what do you mean by hot spots?

 

Those white spots of glare where the reflectivity was higher than surroundings. I think they are exposed metal.

 

I think you may be the winner in this- I've just put a tiny scratch where it tucks under one end and it shows through white metal underneath.
Still wonder where it's come from and how old it is but it may hold on to that secret for a while. I'm rather glad it isn't Heffie hair though.

 

What I meant by "bumpy" - I could be wrong, but isn't plastic sleeved cord or chain readily available from jewelry suppliers - i couldn't find, but I don't know the proper name or category to look for...

Like covered electrical wire.

 

Chain could be oxidized with liver of sulfur, but it looks like a coating... Japanned? (sp)

 

My thinking is wire of this type, artificially oxidized:

 

Not flexible - how would you plait it?

@Hollyblue @evelyb30 @clutteredcloset49

 

That's what it looks like to me, covered twisted wire, but wdik.

 

It could be nickel coated silver wire.... https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/nickel-coated-silver-wire-16038239630.html

Possibly a student piece,looks like there are a number of classes... https://veberod-gem-gallery.myshopify.com/products/braided-wire-bracelet

 

Plastic coated wire. But that would be round in cross section, this is rectangular. Leather strips could make this shape, not elephant hair.

Think the wire samples in the photo are enlarged, not life size, & silver is quite soft. If amateurs can make jewellery by wire wrapping using the same type of wire, a more accomplished artisan can. For all I know, the braided bits are machine made & only other parts of the bracelet are hand work.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/539724416/silver-bracelet-wire-wrapped-jewelry