2 Loose Turkomen Silver Metal Beads Ruth Flynn Collection For Sale

2 Loose Turkomen Silver Metal Beads Ruth Flynn Collection Type of Object Silver (unknown metal content) People Turkomen Made In Afghanistan, Turkmenistan Traded In Africa Approximate Age Early 20th Century Overall Condition Good. Some of our beads have traveled at least three continents, and have graced numerous owners. Damage/Repair Tarnishing and dents. Bead Size 39mm in diameter. Brand Unbranded Style Loose Type Beads

Silversmiths throughout the South Arabian nation of Yemen have a diverse set of styles from region to region, and village to village.  Generally, the silversmiths of the north are Jewish and make jewelry that reflects centuries of Hebrew influence.  Northern silversmiths are known for intricate filigree and granulation on their rings, beads, and pendants. 

The south of Yemen, having been a British colony throughout most of the 20th century, exhibits a more diverse set of influences than the north, including an affinity for Indian and Persian styles.  Southern Yemeni silver often uses palm tree and barley motifs, representative of the fauna of the region.

Functionality and geometry are both very important parts of Yemeni jewelry making.  Many pendants function as amulets to hold prayers or scriptures printed or written on paper scrolls.  Snakes, triangles, and fish often adorn beads and jewelry; all of these motifs represent fertility.  Crescent and sun shapes are also common as both play an important role in the religions of the area.  Artisans also often use coins in making jewelry, which represents the prosperity of the wearer.  Chains are often linked in a loop-in-loop fashion and are therefore quite noisy; it’s said these noisy jewelry pieces help in warding off evil spirits. 

The "silver" in Yemeni beads is a composite of melted silver and other metals. Silver content is measured against the Maria Theresa Thaler, a silver coin minted during the reign of Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary and Bohemia in the 18th century. This coin, at 75-85% silver, is considered the highest standard for silver content. The silver high for Yemeni beads is typically 45-50%, and most beads are much lower. 

Provenance: Ruth Flynn Collection 

Africa Direct has bought a wonderful collection of beads and trade bead necklaces designed and made by Ruth Flynn. Ruth says, “I first fell in love with African beads when my middle child (of 5!) decided at age 13 to spend a semester going to school in Bamako, Mali, and live with my sister who was there with the World Bank. Africa Direct provided so many opportunities for me to learn about beads and make my own necklaces. I wore African bead necklaces almost every day of my career as a lawyer in Washington, DC. "

 AG0823

**147652**

All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2023

Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers!
Please visit our About Us page.

Africa Direct, Inc. has been selling on since 1997 and has received more than 56,000 positive responses. It is owned by Eliza and Sara, who began the company after spending a year wandering southern Africa in a camper van with their multi-racial family. They have been honored with 's Hall of Fame award, and by Giving Works, through which they have raised more than $125,000 in charity sales.

Customer Service: We treasure our many long term customers, and will try to make you one of them! If you have problems, please tell us... we care!

Handling Time: We ship daily except Sundays and holidays. Most orders go out the same day, and all go out within 48 hours.

Returns: We want you to be happy with your purchase. You're welcome to return an item within 30 days in the same condition you received it--just let us know you're returning it. You may have either a credit or a refund for your purchase price, not including shipping both ways. If your original payment was made through PayPal, we'll refund you through PayPal; if you paid us directly with your credit card, we'll refund the credit card.

Combining Shipping: You are welcome to wait to pay, and to combine multiple items for shipping. We ask that you keep each order to 10 days or 10 items, whichever comes first--then start another order.

When you're ready, just send us a list of item numbers or an invoice request and we'll send you an invoice. You can pay by Paypal or credit card.

U.S. Shipping: Our staff take great care in packing our artwork, much of which is antique, irregularly-shaped, and fragile. The cost of labor and the special packing materials uséd is reflected in our shipping price. Our U.S. shipping charges also include insurance; we self-insure on smaller orders. For these reasons, our shipping and handling charges may be more than the price of postage. .

International Shipping: We ship dozens of international orders each week, to customers on every continent except Antarctica! The shipping charges included in our listings are for U.S. orders. Contact us for shipping charges to your country. We offer uninsured USPS First Class airmail, insured Priority airmail, and insured Express airmail to most parts of the world, depending on the weight, volume, and value of an item. We also ship via FedEx or DHL on request.

Import duties, taxes, and charges are NOT INCLUDED in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to offerding / buying. These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up -- do not confuse them for additional shipping charges. And please do not ask us to mark merchandise values below the actual value or mark items as "gifts"--U.S. and International government regulations prohibit such behavior.

Newsletter, previews and special offers: Sign up for our newsletter

Go to Africa Direct Store

integration by