Featured Help needed - unknown age and origin of silver pictorial earrings?

Hi everyone and a Happy New Year,

I have a pair of earrings which I picked up last year and I am not sure about their origin and possible age, as I haven't had anything like them before. I am hoping some of you may be able to help out!

I did wonder if they were Aztec or pre-Colombian style but honestly I am just not sure! I haven't tried to clean them up yet, so I hope these pictures are fine.

TIA for any help,

Eilidh

 

I think they are from Peru or Bolivia.

On the domed front is the head of the Sun symbol from the Kalasasaya or Gate of the Sun in Tiwanaku (Tiahuanaco), Bolivia, which is also popular in Peru:


The cats on the backs are often seen on textiles from Coastal Peru, like this Chancay piece:


And the creature on the studs resembles these, also Tiwanaku culture:

 

Love these figures! Thankyou for posting the pictures

 

Thank you @Any Jewelry those are fantastic pictures as KSW says.

I had been wondering if it could be a cat but couldn't see anything like it anywhere when searching and those textiles definitely look right with the unusual triangular head, so I think Peru/ Bolivia seems a good shout!

They are quite far from home here, so I wonder if they were a tourist piece. Is there any way to tell the age of them, or do you think they are too generic to tell and/ or are likely to be modern?

 

Love them too and thought Chancay as soon as I saw the cat.I think they have age meaning 20th later mid century forward but Let’s see what AJ thinks.

 

Do the closures on the earrings indicate anything about the age? I know that type of clip (or whatever it is called) is currently used, but how early were they used?

Are you able to wear the earrings? Looks like they might need a cleaning, unless you like that look.

 

@Figtree3 If you mean the bit that is put on the post to secure the earring in place at the back, then I have always known them as the butterfly but I am not sure when they first started being used on earrings....would be interesting to know if anyone can help!

I haven't tried to wear them yet or clean them....I have a wee pile in my to clean/sort pile so just waiting for a rainy weekend to have a go at them!

@reader thanks for the date input too, good to know they aren't just a new pair!

 

They are very typical, aren't they? And cute. I have a few Chancay textile fragments, also with cats.

I agree, I think 1960s.
I also think Peru is more likely because they have been using sterling silver (925) for a long time, whereas Bolivia used .900 at the time. I think I've also seen Bolivian .800 silver, but I'm not entirely sure.

 

I love them but you know I’m death by ethnic. They just “feel” 60s to me. So often we just have that gut feeling and nothing to truly substantiate it. I’m not familiar enough with Bolivian jewelry so TY for the purity note but they just screamed Peru to me. I’ve had Chancay dolls on the wall since the 70s LOL.

 

Very 70s.
I have two Chancay pots as well, one has two molded frogs on the sides, too small for handles though. It also has stylised cats painted on the front. The other is a small paint pot with only linear decoration.

 

Given they're for pierced ears, likely 1970s or later.

Debora

 

They could be as late as 70s IMO but I have plenty of definitely 60s (documented) Mexican pierced earrings. Granted Mexico isn’t Peru but no reason to think they didn’t make pierced in the 60s. I still think they’re 60s.

 

Now I’m curious! Why 1970’s or later? Was that something that was frowned upon in Peru specifically? I am totally ignorant about Peru.

 

I don't think 1970 was a specific turning point in Peru, where most, if not all girls and women had pierced earlobes when I was there in the early 70s. I don't believe they collectively got their ears pierced in 1970.
My mother and I didn't have pierced earlobes, and it was difficult to find clip-ons or screwbacks at the time. My mother found a nice pair, I didn't.
I got my ears pierced later, one problem solved.

 

Thanks everyone for all the info; I too know nothing about Peruvian jewellery so it has been a real insight and good to know about the 925 mark vs Bolivia.

I have wanted to go to Machu Picchu for some time, so who knows, maybe I will yet make it there one day and see it for myself! If so I will definitely be keeping an eye out for some more jewellery while there!

 

Not too difficult in Peru, good jewellery shops galore. And a lot of jewellery with pre-Columbian designs.

 

Most Peruvian girls are pierced in infancy if not birth. I had my ears pierced in the early 60s as a young teenager. I didn’t particularly want to but my mother wanted to pierce hers so she dragged us both to a plastic surgeon lol.

 

And I do think they were made for tourism. They’re charming

 

Most were sold to tourists, but I also saw Peruvian women wear pre-Columbian inspired jewellery.
In those days women in Lima would only wear jewellery indoors or to indoor events, it wasn't safe to wear jewellery out in the open. I wouldn't be surprised if it is the same now.

 

I shall have to keep that tip in mind if I do get to visit.....might even mean for once that my luggage is lighter if I have to take less jewellery with me, although it would have the advantage of leaving me with more room to bring lots back too!