Early 20th Century Silver Necklace or Neck Ring on Stand From the Golden Triangle

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Rare and particularly massive silver necklace, or neck ring, from the Akha tribal group of the Golden Triangle, a mountainous … Read more Rare and particularly massive silver necklace, or neck ring, from the Akha tribal group of the Golden Triangle, a mountainous region where the modern boundaries of Burma, Thailand, and Laos meet near China. Early 20th century. The seven-ring necklace consists of two nested necklaces, the inner necklace of 3 crescent-shape bands surrounded by the outer necklace of 4 crescent-shape bands. Each individual band is hand-hammered silver and hand-tied to the adjacent band with silver wire. The inner 3 band necklace has a decorative repoussé representation of a lock. In the Golden Triangle, a necklace is the first gift given to a baby and the neck ring was thought to act as a protective charm, the ring preventing the spirit of the wearer from leaving her body. This neck-ring with the addition of a symbolic lock was perhaps added at the time of a soul-calling ceremony, as an additional amulet talisman against illness and death, the lock "locking" the soul to the body. Silver jewelry is culturally important as an ornament, talisman, as well as a safe form of early currency. Mounted on a contemporary metal stand with certificate and receipt from esteemed Seattle-area Asian antiques specialists.

The necklace measures 22"w x 18"h. Mounted on the stand, it measures 24"h. The stand base is 10"w x 6"d. See less