Tibet, China
19th century
Turquoise
Length 18 in (45.7 cm)
Provenance: Royal Horticultural Antique Fair, London, UK
This Sino Tibetan necklace is composed of turquoise beads of varying size, tone, and matrix, ranging from clear green to deep teal with areas of warm amber matrix, the natural variation in the stones giving the piece a layered visual richness characteristic of antique Tibetan turquoise jewelry. Turquoise was among the most prized materials in the Tibetan and Chinese material traditions, valued for its protective properties and its association with prosperity and good fortune. Necklaces assembled from natural turquoise beads of this quality were worn as both adornment and talisman across Tibet and the Sino Tibetan border regions throughout the nineteenth century.
The range of stone colors and matrices visible in this necklace reflects the use of turquoise from multiple sources, a common feature of antique Tibetan jewelry assembled over time rather than produced as a matched set. The Royal Horticultural Antique Fair in London has been one of the primary venues for the sale of Asian decorative arts and jewelry in the British market, and provenance from this source is consistent with the movement of quality Tibetan material through established British dealer channels. The necklace retains the natural, unenhanced character of nineteenth century turquoise at a time when such material is increasingly difficult to find.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Tibet, China
19th century
Turquoise
Length 18 in (45.7 cm)
Provenance: Royal Horticultural Antique Fair, London, UK
This Sino Tibetan necklace is composed of turquoise beads of varying size, tone, and matrix, ranging from clear green to deep teal with areas of warm amber matrix, the natural variation in the stones giving the piece a layered visual richness characteristic of antique Tibetan turquoise jewelry. Turquoise was among the most prized materials in the Tibetan and Chinese material traditions, valued for its protective properties and its association with prosperity and good fortune. Necklaces assembled from natural turquoise beads of this quality were worn as both adornment and talisman across Tibet and the Sino Tibetan border regions throughout the nineteenth century.
The range of stone colors and matrices visible in this necklace reflects the use of turquoise from multiple sources, a common feature of antique Tibetan jewelry assembled over time rather than produced as a matched set. The Royal Horticultural Antique Fair in London has been one of the primary venues for the sale of Asian decorative arts and jewelry in the British market, and provenance from this source is consistent with the movement of quality Tibetan material through established British dealer channels. The necklace retains the natural, unenhanced character of nineteenth century turquoise at a time when such material is increasingly difficult to find.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
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