MSI704

TRADITIONAL SINGLE EARRING, ORIGINALLY PART OF A MATCHED PAIR, ATTRIBUTED TO THE MIAO (DONG: GUIZHOU) HILL TRIBES OF SOUTHERN CHINA. SUCH EARRINGS FORMED PART OF TRADITIONAL BODY ADORNMENT PRACTICES, WHERE LARGE-SCALE ORNAMENTS HELD CULTURAL, SOCIAL, AND AESTHETIC SIGNIFICANCE.

THE EARRING IS CONSTRUCTED IN AN OPEN CRESCENT FORM WITH A SPIRAL TERMINAL. THE LOWER SECTION FEATURES A SERIES OF HOLLOW, DOME-SHAPED ELEMENTS ATTACHED ALONG THE CURVE. THE MAIN BODY IS WRAPPED WITH FINE METAL (POSSIBLY BRONZE) WIRE, INDICATING HAND-FORMED TRADITIONAL METALWORK TECHNIQUES. THE HOLLOW CONSTRUCTION IS CHARACTERISTIC OF LARGE MIAO EARRINGS, PROVIDING VISUAL IMPACT WHILE LIMITING WEIGHT.

THE MATERIAL APPEARS TO BE A SILVER ALLOY (UNTESTED), POSSIBLY WITH MIXED METALS COMMONLY USED IN MIAO JEWELRY PRODUCTION. SURFACE PATINA AND WEAR ARE CONSISTENT WITH AGE AND TRADITIONAL USE.

COMPARABLE FORMS AND CONSTRUCTION METHODS ARE DOCUMENTED IN MIAO ETHNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL DATING TO THE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY.

CONDITION IS VERY GOOD FOR ITS AGE. THE PIECE IS FULLY INTACT, STRUCTURALLY SOUND, AND WEARABLE.

WEIGHT: 20.61 GRAMS
MEASUREMENTS: LENGTH 67MM | WIDTH 64MM
EARLOBE HOLE: APPROX. 12MM
MATERIAL: SILVER ALLOY (UNTESTED), HOLLOW CONSTRUCTION
CULTURAL ATTRIBUTION: MIAO (DONG: GUIZHOU) HILL TRIBES
GEOGRAPHIC ORIGIN: SOUTHERN CHINA
DATE: 19TH – EARLY 20TH CENTURY
FORMAT: SINGLE EARRING

REFERENCE:

*- A WORLD OF EARRINGS AFRICA – ASIA – AMERICA – PAGE: 189 - BY ANN VAN CUTSEM – SKIRA

*- THE ART OF SILVER JEWELLERY – FROM THE MINORITIES OF CHINA – THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE – MONGOLIA & TIBET – PAGE: 75 – THE RENE VAN DER STAR COLLECTION – SKIRA