Enquiry about object: 10341
Superb, Rare Pair of Moroccan Signed, Hallmarked Gem-Set Gold Fibulae
Tetouan, Northern Morocco late 18th-early 19th century
length: 11.5cm, width: 5.2cm, combined weight: 106g
Provenance
UK art market
This extraordinary pair of gold fibulae, for attaching one’s cloak about the shoulders, is a remarkable survivor from 18th-19th century Tetouan in northern Morocco. Each is pierced, and set with large ruby and emerald cabochons and baroque pearls.
A gold pin and ring is attached to the base of each, this being the mechanism used for pinning the fibula to the cloth. The top of each has a small gold loop through which gold chains could link the two.
Each pearl has been drilled and is attached to the fibulae by means of a gold pin. The rubies and emeralds are attached via box settings.
The reverse of each has been engraved with arabesques and small star-burst motifs. One of the two also has two small maker’s marks in Arabic. Notwithstanding this, it is possible that the work is from a local Moroccan Jewish workshop. Jewels of this type, made for the aristocrats of northern Morocco, were heavily influenced by Baroque European designs.
At the end of March, 1492, the Alhambra Decree or Edict of Expulsion was signed by Spain’s Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. This gave unconverted Jews around four months to leave Spain. In the subsequent months, tens of thousands of Sephardic Jews crossed the Strait of Gibraltar into North Africa. Many settled in Moroccan cities like Tetouan, Fez and Tangier. Many were goldsmiths, among other artisans. They re-established their businesses in Morocco, serving wealthy local clients, which gave rise to the syncretic jewellery of the wealthy of Morocco blending North African Arab styles with those of Europe. (See an example of an important gold necklace made in 17th-18th century Tetouan that we have had in the past.)
The mounting of the stones has been done in a manner suggestive of a late 18th or early 19th century dating.
See Goldenberg (2014, p. 28) for a gold pendant in very similar style and similarly embellished with baroque pearls, emeralds and rubies.
See an example of a fibula set of similar form for sold at Christie’s London, 2007, and another.
Both fibulae are hallmarked with small French assay marks of a type used in France between 1838 and 1919 for imported gold articles of at least 18 carats. This tells us when the fibulae arrived in France. They are likely to have been made much earlier.
The pair here in excellent condition. Some minor restoration is evident.
References
Ben-Ami, A. (ed.), In All Their Finery: Jewels from the Jewish World, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 2002.
Goldenberg, A., Art and the Jews of Morocco, Somogy Editions, 2014.
Zniber, Z. & W. Meziou, Parures en or du Maroc: Histoire de Femmes, de Symboles et d’Amour, Editions Relet de Soi, 2023.
