1: Two face veils (‘niqab’) from nomadic women from eastern Turkey. Both veils are made of fabric and are covered with dense diagonal rows of pierced coins that have been sewn on. One niqab, which is completely covered, features predominantly Ottoman coins (Ottoman Empire: until 1923) and only a few later kurus coins (from 1923 onwards). The other veil displays a mixture of Ottoman (a large casting of a coin from 1694), ‘modern’ Turkish kurus coins (until approx. 1950) and some rare early European coins, such as a 6-kreuzer piece from 1688 and a 3-kreuzer piece from the 1680s. Neither nomadic veil features coins in precious metals.
Both face veils also have additional embellishments of colourful fabric, as well as amulet pendants and decorative pendants made from colourful glass beads, iron chains, iron objects and a head.
Dimensions: c. 28 cm x 19 cm; c. 24 cm x 20 cm.

2: A metal vessel for black eye makeup known as ‘kohl’ (also called ‘kajal’), produced from antimony, galena, manganese oxide and other substances. The metal vessel is covered with stitched-on reddish brown leather and sealed with a thin metal rod with a square handle which also serves as a makeup applicator.
The kohl receptacle itself sits within a carrying case made of woven strips of leather which are partly set with pierced cowrie shells and red glass beads. The bottom section is decorated with hanging ornaments of many thin leather strips, a yellow glass bead and a pierced cowrie shell.
Length: c. 49 cm (in total). All three objects in this mixed lot: c. mid-20th century. (ME)

Provenance: Austrian collection.