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Lozenge-shaped ornament, Bulgaria

late 1800s

British Museum

British Museum
London, United Kingdom

Lozenge-shaped ornament, copper alloy (?) with repoussé foliate decoration in relief. Nine pendant coins, two suspended from the face at top and centre, and seven from the two lower sides, with one Turkish coin, bottom centre, the rest all of Austrian 17th-18th century. The coins are: 1) top: Leopold I (1640-1705); 2) centre: Maria Theresa (1717-1780); and round lower edge from left to right: 3) Maximilian Josef (1765); 4) Emperor Charles VI (1735); 5) Maximilian Josef (1775); 6) Mahmud II (1808-39, Islamic dates 1223-55, coin minted in 1808); 7) Maximilan Josef (1796); 8) Francis I (1708-1765); 9) Maximilian Josef III or IV (1745-1777 or 1799-1806).
At the back a horizontal bar, probably a replacement for the original hooks at each side for attachment to head scarf.
This object does not appear in Eth Doc 1836, the original list supplied by the Bulgarian Committee for Cultural Relations.For a similar ornament, see D. Drumev, 'Héritage Artistique Bulkgare: Orfèvrerie', Sofia 1976, p. 518, pl. 618, described as a silvered copper pendant from the Sumen region. As far as one can tell form the illustration there are hooks at each side and the coins are mostly Turkish apart from one European 18th century coin. For an illustration of a similar lozenge ornament with coins worn on the corsage, see M. Veleva and E. Lepavcova, 'Bulgarian Folk Costumes, vol. IV: South Bulgaria', Sofia 1988, p. 104, a costume from Stara Zagora.

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  • Title: Lozenge-shaped ornament, Bulgaria
  • Date Created: late 1800s
  • Physical Dimensions: Height: 13.5 centimetres Width: 10 centimetres
  • Provenance: Given by the Bulgarian Government
  • Production place: Bulgaria
  • Copyright: © The Trustees of The British Museum
  • British Museum link: Eu1971,01.279
British Museum

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