Enquiry about object: 4798
Indian Silver Bead Necklace
Gujarat, India 19th-early 20th century
length: 60cm, weight: 229g
This dramatic necklace of silver beads of graduated sizes strung on its original black cotton twisted and balled thread is very wearable.
Each faceted bead is of sheet silver over a lac core. The age, wear, and occasional denting to the beads adds to their tactile nature.
Such beads necklaces were produced in Gujarat.
See Leurquin (2003, p. 231) for a less ornate example with even-sized beads.
The necklace is in a stable, robust condition. Each bead has a fine patina. There is some fraying to the black cord around the fastening.
References
Leurquin, A., A World of Necklaces: Africa, Asia, Oceania, America from the Ghysels Collection, Skira, 2003.
Untracht, O., Traditional Jewelry of India, Thames & Hudson, 1997.
