MSI005

ANTIQUE SILVER YAO EARRINGS WITH DANGLING LEAF PENDANTS – LAOS/THAILAND, EARLY 20TH CENTURY

DESCRIPTION:
A FINELY CRAFTED PAIR OF ANTIQUE SILVER EARRINGS ATTRIBUTED TO THE YAO (IU MIEN) PEOPLE OF LAOS/THAILAND, EARLY TO MID-20TH CENTURY. EACH EARRING IS FORMED AS A SOLID SILVER HOOP WITH A REPOUSSÉ FLORAL TERMINAL AND TWO SUSPENDED LEAF-SHAPED PENDANTS. THE HOOPS SHOW SUBTLE ENGRAVED PATTERNS ALONG THE BAND, HIGHLIGHTING THE ARTISAN’S ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

YAO SILVER JEWELRY WAS BOTH ORNAMENTAL AND SYMBOLIC, FUNCTIONING AS A FORM OF WEALTH AND SPIRITUAL PROTECTION. THE DANGLING PENDANTS WERE BELIEVED TO WARD OFF MALEVOLENT FORCES, WHILE THE FLORAL FINIAL REFLECTS FERTILITY AND CONTINUITY OF LIFE. SUCH EARRINGS WERE TRADITIONALLY WORN THROUGH EXTENDED PIERCINGS, OFTEN AS PART OF A LARGER ASSEMBLAGE OF SILVER ORNAMENTS.

MATERIALS: MIX SILVER (NOT TESTED YET)
DIMENSIONS: HOOP DIAMETER APPROX.: L 25MM | W 25MM
EARLOBE HOLE SIZE: 5MM
WEIGHT: 10.35GRM
ORIGIN: YAO (IU MIEN) ETHNIC GROUP, NORTHERN LAOS / NORTHERN THAILAND
DATE: EARLY–MID 20TH CENTURY
CONDITION: GOOD ANTIQUE CONDITION, WITH PATINA CONSISTENT WITH AGE AND USE

SELL AS PAIR