Enquiry about object: 6558
Superb Pair of Wa or Akha Braided Silver Bracelets
Akha People, Northern Thailand; Wa People, Border Area of Yunnan, China & Burma (Myanmar) early 20th century
diameter: approximately 6.8 x 6cm, combined weight: 202g
Provenance
private European collection
This superb pair of high-grade, heavy bracelets are of thick double-braided silver wire, that is lashed at the ends with more silver wire to close them.
They have splendid patina and are probably better and more decorative than any similar published examples.
They are from the so-called Golden Triangle area and were worn by Akha women in northern Thailand and the and Wa (or Lawa) people in the Burma-China border area.
The bracelets are perfectly balanced – each stands unaided on its side.
Related examples are illustrated in Nadler (2005, p. 313), Daalder (2009, p. 257), and van Cutsem (2002, p. 249).
References
Beringen, J. et al, The Art of Silver Jewellery: From the Minorities of China, the Golden Triangle, Mongolia and Tibet – The Rene van der Star Collection, Skira, 2006.
van Cutsem, A., A World of Bracelets: Africa, Asia, Oceania, America, Skira, 2002.
Daalder, T., Ethnic Jewellery and Adornment: Australia, Oceania, Asia, Africa, Ethnic Art Press/Macmillan, 2009.
Nadler, D. & S., Silver: From Fetish to Fashion, PDN Publishing, 2005.
