Silver Asian Bracelet...age? Origin?

Can anyone help me with this bracelet. It was given to me by a friend who has since passed. He only told me it was old (15th century); it was given to him by a Martial Arts Teacher he trained with while in the military; it was broken and repaired at some point making one of the markings difficult to read. Any information is appreciated.

Bracelet inside by John Abbenante posted Feb 26, 2016 at 2:05 PM

 

Hola and welcome, John!
Plenty of silver brainiacs here to give you help!

 

Welcome, John!

15th century? That would be amazing, but did your friend actually believe it?

You have a much better picture of the marks in your Gallery album that I would suggest you embed in this thread so others will see. I already checked them against Chinese characters for "pure silver" and don't think they match, but someone else may see something in yours that is meaningful. A few pictures of the whole bracelet would be good too, since you already have them there.

 

Thank you! I'm hoping so.

 

It would be cool but I'm not sure. He was addicted to pain killers before he passed so like any addict, his stories were mixed with some truth, some fiction. I am considering his state of mind.
I did have a friend translate 2 of the markings...one as 'High Quality Silver' and the other as 'Keeps you safe' . The 3rd is too distorted from the repair to read it. I'll try to add the other photos...I'm still figuring out how this site works.

 

I've looked at the other pic in the gallery of the marks. I have checked 2 Chinese Export silver marks websites finding nothing identical. I have taken the liberty of cropping, enlarging, editing that other pic of the maker's marks. Am including the pics in this message in hopes someone else might recognize the maker's marks.

>translate 2 of the markings...one as 'High Quality Silver' and the other as 'Keeps you safe' . The 3rd is too distorted from the repair to read it.<

Do you mean he translated the maker's marks in cartouches on the back of the bracelet? I only see 2 cartouches of marks. The top one appears to be 3 initials of "HR?" or "HB?" I can't make out the initial on the far right. The 2nd cartouche, the bottom cartouche, could be 4 letters like OXOX, 0X8X or anyone's guess. Not sure if it contains initials or Chinese characters.

Here are a couple of Chinese Export Silver marks:
"CHINESE EXPORT SILVER 1785 TO 1885"
http://m.cesgallery.com/p243/
Chinese Trade Silver marks 1775-1880
http://www.925-1000.com/chinex_marks.html

--- Susan

 

There is at least 1 good luck symbol in the design on the front of the bracelet. I believe I see at least 2 swastika that were good symbols in Buddhism and Hinduism as well as in a multiple of other cultures. It is called in Sanskrit a svastika, "all is well."

"In Buddhism, the swastika signifies auspiciousness and good fortune as well as the Buddha's footprints and the Buddha's heart."

"In Hinduism, the right-hand (clockwise) swastika is a symbol of the sun and the god Vishnu, while the left-hand (counterclockwise) swastika represents Kali and magic."

I can't see enough the other symbols, designs, on the front of the bracelet to venture a guess. A pic of the front of the bracelet straight on rather than looking down at it may reveal other significant symbols?

--- Susan

 

The "cartouches" are not orientated correctly.Chinese language is written top to bottom and right to left.

 

Very true if they are Chinese characters. If the top one is initials like most Chinese Export Silver of the 19th century included than that cartouche would be horizontal.

--- Susan