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Case and chain

Title	Case and chain
Author	Unknown
Publication Place	Cyprus (made) -
Subject	Jewellery Metalwork
Type	Other
Language	Undetermined
Digital	Yes
Manuscript	No
Physical Dimensions	Diameter: 4.5cm, Length: 45.5cm, Depth: 1.8cm
Library:	Victoria and Albert Museum
Library Asset ID	1547-1888
Record ID	1547-1888
Library Location	Middle East Section
Notes	Cypriot jewellery is a rich mix of oriental design and Greek workmanship. Pilgrims to the Holy Land frequently passed through Cyprus, and the Cypriot goldsmiths absorbed influences from Western Europe as well as Ottoman Turkey. Their work is similar to jewellery from elsewhere in the region, but the quality is often higher. For their finest work they used niello or filigree. The goldsmiths of Cyprus were famous for their filigree, often enriched with blue and green enamels. This filigree case was described as a relic case when it was bought, but it is more likely to have had a secular use. The circular shape and the decorative chain with a central bead show that it probably held a man's watch, an essential accessory for all wealthy men throughout the Ottoman Empire. It was bought in 1888, just after a terrible famine, when many people had to sell their family heirlooms.
Malzemeler ve teknikler	Silver filigree with green enamels, pastes, and coral bead Silver Paste Enamel Coral Filigree Enamelling
Fiziksel açıklama	Shallow cylindrical case with hinged lid and open filigree front and back, decorated with green enamels. Attached to three lengths of loop-in-loop chain ending in a hook of sheet silver decorated with a missing paste, and with a flat filigree bead halfway along the chains, set with a blue paste and a coral bead.

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Victoria and Albert Museum

Case and chain

Author Unknown

Publication Place Cyprus (made) -

Subject Jewellery Metalwork

Type Other

Language Undetermined

Digital Yes

Manuscript No

Physical Dimensions Diameter: 4.5cm, Length: 45.5cm, Depth: 1.8cm

Library Victoria and Albert Museum

Library Asset ID 1547-1888

Record ID 1547-1888

Library Location Middle East Section

Notes Cypriot jewellery is a rich mix of oriental design and Greek workmanship. Pilgrims to the Holy Land frequently passed through Cyprus, and the Cypriot goldsmiths absorbed influences from Western Europe as well as Ottoman Turkey. Their work is similar to jewellery from elsewhere in the region, but the quality is often higher. For their finest work they used niello or filigree. The goldsmiths of Cyprus were famous for their filigree, often enriched with blue and green enamels. This filigree case was described as a relic case when it was bought, but it is more likely to have had a secular use. The circular shape and the decorative chain with a central bead show that it probably held a man's watch, an essential accessory for all wealthy men throughout the Ottoman Empire. It was bought in 1888, just after a terrible famine, when many people had to sell their family heirlooms.

Malzemeler ve teknikler Silver filigree with green enamels, pastes, and coral bead Silver Paste Enamel Coral Filigree Enamelling

Fiziksel açıklama Shallow cylindrical case with hinged lid and open filigree front and back, decorated with green enamels. Attached to three lengths of loop-in-loop chain ending in a hook of sheet silver decorated with a missing paste, and with a flat filigree bead halfway along the chains, set with a blue paste and a coral bead.