Product Description

Antique Timor Comb 2

Material: Silver, buffalo horn
Style: West Timor, Indonesia
Size: Height 7 cm, Width 14.5 cm
Order Number: MHSATC2

Timor is best known for its silver and other jewelry. The Timorese have been using metal for a least 2,000 years but silver arrived late and rapidly replaced gold. Funnily enough silver is not native to Timor. The Europeans brought a large number of silver coins, starting with Spanish pieces of eight in the 16th century. Silver Dutch and Portuguese coins were melted down and made into jewelry.

Ornamental comb. The top is embellished with dome shaped motifs.

There is a similar one in Ethnic Jewellery from Indonesia, Continuity and Evolution, Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, page 274.

19th – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).