IR029. There are two Islamic pendants here. The grey agate
pendant measures 1 7/8 inches in length and 5/8 inches in height.
It has two carved sections at the top which enclose the stringing holes.
There is a nicely carved curve between the two extensions which gives the
piece a bit of grace. $35.US. (on hold)
The second pendant is a streaky dark brown butterscotch. It is slightly curved on one side and quite flat on the other. It measures just over 1 1/8 inches in width and has a stringing hole in the protrusion in the middle of the top. Simple and attractive. $20.US.
IR034. This size 8.5 ring is ancient, intact, and pretty amazing.
Rather than having an incised image on it, suitable only for impressing
into another material (for instance wax) as a seal, the design on the front
of this ring is carved outwards and nicely dimensional. Delicately
portrayed is a seated winged griffin with one front leg raised in the air.
Being tiny, it is difficult to clearly make out without a magnifier so
it is like a secret, waiting for the magic spell to release it. I
find this very enchanting and very unusual too. The origin of the
griffin is Susa in ancient Iran, around 5000BC - a fabulous and mythological
creature which dominates both the earth and the sky.
Made of bronze the ring is wearable, though I wouldn't recommend trying it out too often - - the patina that speaks of many centuries can wear off quickly, and the raised design can be smoothed by handling. Worthy for a very special occasion though, or as a symbolic piece symbolically combining both intelligence and strength, . $95.US.
IR035. The shape of this ring reminds me of the Tuareg ones
out of Africa. It is though, an ancient bronze cast ring from Iran.
Cast all in one piece the protrusion at the top is open and hollow and
would have once had a stone or piece of glass set in it. The opening
is irregular in shape and averages about 5mm in diameter. Because
cast metal cannot easily be manipulated, the "jewel" was probably fastened
in with some organic sticky material like pitch. The ring is wearable
(though be cautious as the patina that darkens the surface of the ring
will easily wear off - - you can see spots of bronze in places now.) and
a size 6.5. From top to bottom on the scan, the ring measures slightly
less than 1 1/2 inches. This piece is quite striking and would be
even more so with a smoothened piece of glass, or tiny tumbled stone in
it. $45.US.
IR036. This interesting little pendant has a face on one side
and a squiggle on the other. The face is of a bearded man facing
to the left. His eye is just under the hole of the bead and the hole
itself seems to be in the middle of his turban. Carved of a greenish
stone, the pendant measures a little over 3/4 inches in height, 1/2 inch
in width, and is about 1/5 inch thick. I don't know what they significance
of the face, or the symbolism of the squiggle is. The piece is obviously
hundreds of years old, and has residue from burial on it as well as small
bits of fibre left from the original stringing cord. Other than that,
I can't offer much enlightenment on the piece other than it is intriguing
and unusual. $65.US.
IR037. These red glass beads seem to have been made to imitate
Mediterranean coral. Most of them are slightly over 3/8 inch long
and vary in shades of red and deep orange. The entire strand is 14
inches long. The two beads that have a line through them are chipped
and only there because I didn't want to cut the strand to remove them.
It's kind of charming as it is. These beads badly want to be mixed
with some old silver or something that will serve to complement them like
it. $25.US.
