Can anybody tell me something about this bangle and neckpiece?

My daughter picked up the bangle at a puce for €0.50, and the stallholder gifted her the neckpiece. How one fits the neckpiece is mystery unless one twists it, and then it wouldn't last long.

The material looks to be brass strip that has then been rolled into shape both longitudinally and latitudinally, and it is filled, probably with sand to prevent it collapsing during bending.

As well as the bend marks at regular distance between them, the finish is lumpy and bumpy so the material has been well beaten.

Your knowledge and opinions, please.



Neckpiece: outside diameter 13cm; inner diameter 11.7cm. Thickness tapers from 1.2cm to 0.4cm at the ends. Weight 46gr:



Neckpiece end - appears to be spun at the end to seal it



Material finish:





Bangle: Outside diameter 7.7cm; inner diameter 6.5cm. Thickness 0.7cm. Weight 26gr:







Thank you.

 

Brian, can you tell us a bit more? Like, in what country did your daughter find this set? You write "puce" which I know means fleamarket [I lived in France once], but was it there or you just used puce as a figure of speech? Also, have you tested it for any gold, either plating or filling (as in G.F.)
Without knowing more about it it's tough to say from where it comes or is made of. Pure guess based on the pictures only: If gold, g.f. etc, it could be from Asia [India, Nepal, etc.] or Africa, Middle East, as bridal jewelry. Not to wear at her wedding perhaps but received in gifts, long before marriage, making up a part of her personal "fortune" as is common in cultures in those countries.

You do not say how the bracelet opens if it does? If it does not open it was probably fitted on a young girl early (personal fortune starter) and did not come off until she died. A bride's personal fortune jewelry in some Eastern cultures is not handed down her to children as in Western cultures. When the woman dies the jewelry is taken off her and sold to benefit the children (or husband if he is still around). Tourists can then pick it up in the bazars that cater to them.

 

That bangle would fit many women perfectly as is. I could pass my hand through it, no problem. My wrists are slender, but my hands are an average glove size for a Dutch woman (tallest nation on earth), and they are not as flexible as they used to be.

I think the set is brass. Could have been made in tribal Asia (India?) or Africa. I can't see this being Middle Eastern or Nepali. I have quite a collection from both regions.
On the other hand it could be Western artisan made.

Bridal jewellery generally has value, because it is an investment in the bride's future, as you said. Gold and silver were preferred.
Brass jewellery was worn in some parts of the world, more as a sign of identity than as an investment.

 

I agree that there are people who can wear small bangles but when I was selling jewelry they had very limited appeal in the U.S. anyway.

Have read (can't find where exactly now) that when women in some cultures died, including Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Mongolia, it was bad luck for their descendants to wear the jewelry so it was sold. Which is why it is seen in the bazars of those countries, said before.

India has always been a big producer of brass jewelry. I have sold many brass collars, bangles stamped Made in India. Here's a typical example of a contemporary gilded brass collar from Dehli, per the ad:
https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/rawat-handicrafts-brass-hasli-jewelry-21570641033.html This one is a little fancier than most. The ones I saw were typically very plain, and solid, only slightly bendable to fit around the neck.

 

Looks brass to me.

aj, it's all that dairy. And the sprinkles.

 

Which explains why I'm small by Dutch standards, lactose intolerant.

Should have had more of those, shouldn't I.

 

A Dutch Girl!

My Mother was born in Velsen, then a town near Amsterdam, in 1912; Immigrated to U.S. in '24. Dad was mostly Shanty Irish & English.

So, AJ, we're Kin!

 

It still is, although it has grown a bit. Nowadays it is associated with blast furnaces for the steel industry.
It still has some beautiful buildings that were there in your mother's time though. Like this gem, Beeckestijn, which used to house the Dutch (hand) fan museum:



I see someone was trying to break in when this photo was taken.

 

@lizjewel @Any Jewelry it was bought at a small French village brocante.

The bangle is all one piece. Having looked again, I think that rather than brass for the base metal, it is copper. A tiny area has been scraped and it looks like copper. The two ends of the bangle have been neatly and discretely soldered. Any idea what the maker would have filled it with to enable the shape to have been formed?

I wouldn't have said it has any great aesthetic appeal, so perhaps it was an 'early days' apprentice who made it. Possibly from Africa as being the area France was associated with mostly.

Thanks for your explanations.

 

It could have been filled with pitch,frozen water,low melting point metal,etc.