1: Turkmen Tekke women used to wear high, round, embroidered bonnets. On the front of these bonnets, underneath the woman’s chin, ornaments such as this one would be attached via soldered-on hooks. The present Tekke bonnet-ornament consists of seven rectangular parts conjoined by hooks and eyelets. The two outermost parts additionally have to the outside a triangular protrusion bearing the attachment hooks to the bonnet. Each individual rectangular part has at its upper end 5 decorative protrusions. Hanging underneath each part from hooks and eyelets are four lanceolate pendants and a further pendant hanging from the rings serving to connect the individual parts to each other. A total, therefore, of 34 pendants. And hanging, by hook and eyelet, from each pendant in turn, is a another pendant in the shape of an elongated stylised head. These latter are made of shiny silver pressed into a matrix, then closed/soldered with sheet silver. All other metal parts are made of high quality silver. Framed by double silver wire, the silver plates are engraved with the typical curvy Tekke motifs. With the spaces between the curvy forms — ‘fire-gilded’. Fire-gilding: Gold dust is dissolved in mercury. The liquid gold-mercury mix is transferred to the silver surface. The piece is then heated and the quicksilver evaporates. Bound with the silver, the gold remains. And so is silver transformed into silver-gilt... Through hook and eyelet, again, a further piece is attached to the central segment. This further piece conforms to the Tekke Turkmens’ ram’s head motif. It, too, is silver-gilt, and like the outermost segments, ends in a hook attaching the diadem to the bonnet. All gilded parts of this so elaborately crafted jewel are also studded with set in silver domed cabochon carnelian stones. A total of 93 carnelians. A rare, old, and incredibly complete piece. Not a single missing part. H: 21 cm (midway, from the ram’s head to the pendant underneath), B: 56 cm (full breadth — from hook to hook). (ME)

Lit.: ‘Aus Steppe und Oase’ by J. Kalter, ill. S. 90.

2: Temple ornament for women of the Tekke Turkmens in northern Afghanistan. Such temple pendants were worn by the women of the Tekke Turkmens as jewels on the right and left sides of their headdress. The present single piece (from the original pair) is made of silver and silver-gilt (see above). In its outlines as well as in the engravings on the front of the silver plate, it testifies to the typical curved lines of the Tekke Turkmen. Three beautiful cabochon carnelians are embedded in the vertical middle ridge made of soldered-on silver wire. At the top is an attachment hook and underneath are hung (with hook and eyelet) two lancet shaped-pendants (to the sides) and a bell between them. A small crease in the middle of the silver plate has been soldered over on the back. Otherwise in perfect condition. H: 11 cm (main piece), 16 cm (with pendants); B: c. 5 cm.
Both items in this mixed lot: Between c. 1900 and the first third of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance: German Private Collection.