Featured Silver Filigree Bracelet - Portugal??

Hi,
This bracelet is not marked (the marks on the back side behind the center flower are just scratches), and tests sterling or 800 silver. Looks similar to pieces from Portugal I've seen. What are your thoughts as to origin, age?
Thank you!

 

Lovely, drg.

Filigree is one of the most difficult thing to pinpoint a region for. With that sturdy construction and the clasp I would guess Continental European, but that is as close as I can venture.

 

Thank you, AJ.

 

The Portuguese ones tend to be more along the lines of linked flowers, if that makes sense.

 

Imperial Russia ?

 

I searched a little different way, and saw the exact same bracelet on ebay. The seller did suggest an origin.

 

...???

 

Sorry, meant to write "did not" suggest an origin.

 

Oh, ok.

 

Most anti climatic drum roll ever.

 

One of those days...

 

My first two guesses would be Portugal and Italy, but... dunno.

 

italy doesn't really do that filigree tho'. Portugal and Turkey, yes, as well as Macedonia. If it had a pin clasp I'd have thought Turkish.

 

I have a copper-toned box here made of similar wirework. It's marked Albania.

 

Yup. Other half brought me a piece from Ohrid, Macedonia. Not that far.

 

The Austro-Hungarian Empire may have broken up, but the influence on the "kids" lives on!

 

This looks to be a class above most of the filigree silver work I come across. It looks beautifully constructed.

 

Near east may be?

 

Yes, the Balkan countries make some stunning filigree. I find Albanian filigree often has little granules to reflect the light, like this filigree and niello brooch:

Uhmm, the Ottoman empire. Macedonia and Albania were Ottoman, never Austro-Hungarian.
Although the Ottoman Turks made beautiful filigree, Balkan filigree is often even more stunning. so I think they needed little prompting from the occupiers. I blame the Byzantines, who are also responsible for niello and the spread of enamel.

 

It certainly does. I keep wondering if it could be German, with that sturdy construction. One of the problems with filigree is that in many countries filigree is exempt from marking.