Alloy with silver - Fibula - Morocco 1930-1960
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€ 1
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Selected by Surya Rutten
Has over 25 years' experience in Asian art and owned an art gallery.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
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Traditional Amazigh (Berber) fibula from Morocco, dating to ca. 1930–1960, made of low‑silver alloy with coloured enamel inserts, about 40 cm wide and 80 g in weight, in good condition with signs of wear and preserved patina, not sold with a stand.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Traditional Amazigh (Berber) fibula, a closure element for ceremonial women's garments, belonging to functional and ornamental tribal jewelry.
Dating:
Mid-20th century (approximately 1930–1960)
Dating is supported by objective elements:
decorative style coherent with pre-touristic Amazigh craftsmanship
use of historically attested materials in the period (early resins/plastics as substitutes for coral)
non-serial manual machining
Patina and wear consistent with the stated age.
Materials:
Low-alloy silver, not stamped (typical of Amazigh tribal production)
Cold-applied enamels and colored pastes
Red inserts in vintage resin/plastic (material used between the 1930s and the 1950s)
Lower pendant elements in glass paste/resin
Method of implementation
The jewel features entirely artisanal craftsmanship, as evidenced by:
twisted threads and corded trims applied by hand.
hand-set settings, not standardized
individually interwoven metal links
reading structural asymmetries and dimensional irregularities
Such characteristics exclude modern industrial or tourism-related production, which instead appears more symmetrical, lighter, and standardized.
Structure:
Central plaque decorated with a corded border
hand-braided side chains
Terminals with functional hooks
Three movable lower pendants.
Typical functional configuration of Amazigh jewelry intended for real use and not decorative.
Origin:
Morocco, Amazigh area (anti-Atlas)
Acquired from an antiquarian in Fez, a city historically tasked with the collection and redistribution of tribal jewelry from the Middle Atlas and pre‑Saharan regions.
Conditions
Good overall condition
Original patina present, signs of wear consistent with age and use.
Enamels and inserts intact.
No known modern restoration.
Authenticity and non-belonging to the tourist market
The piece does not belong to the tourist production developed in Morocco starting from the 1970s, as demonstrated by:
absence of modern decorative punchings
weight and thickness of the metal higher than the average for souvenirs
manual, slow, and non-serial processes
materials consistent with tribal use rather than with commercial aesthetics.
Traditional Amazigh (Berber) fibula, a closure element for ceremonial women's garments, belonging to functional and ornamental tribal jewelry.
Dating:
Mid-20th century (approximately 1930–1960)
Dating is supported by objective elements:
decorative style coherent with pre-touristic Amazigh craftsmanship
use of historically attested materials in the period (early resins/plastics as substitutes for coral)
non-serial manual machining
Patina and wear consistent with the stated age.
Materials:
Low-alloy silver, not stamped (typical of Amazigh tribal production)
Cold-applied enamels and colored pastes
Red inserts in vintage resin/plastic (material used between the 1930s and the 1950s)
Lower pendant elements in glass paste/resin
Method of implementation
The jewel features entirely artisanal craftsmanship, as evidenced by:
twisted threads and corded trims applied by hand.
hand-set settings, not standardized
individually interwoven metal links
reading structural asymmetries and dimensional irregularities
Such characteristics exclude modern industrial or tourism-related production, which instead appears more symmetrical, lighter, and standardized.
Structure:
Central plaque decorated with a corded border
hand-braided side chains
Terminals with functional hooks
Three movable lower pendants.
Typical functional configuration of Amazigh jewelry intended for real use and not decorative.
Origin:
Morocco, Amazigh area (anti-Atlas)
Acquired from an antiquarian in Fez, a city historically tasked with the collection and redistribution of tribal jewelry from the Middle Atlas and pre‑Saharan regions.
Conditions
Good overall condition
Original patina present, signs of wear consistent with age and use.
Enamels and inserts intact.
No known modern restoration.
Authenticity and non-belonging to the tourist market
The piece does not belong to the tourist production developed in Morocco starting from the 1970s, as demonstrated by:
absence of modern decorative punchings
weight and thickness of the metal higher than the average for souvenirs
manual, slow, and non-serial processes
materials consistent with tribal use rather than with commercial aesthetics.
Details
Era
1900-2000
Metal
Alloy with silver
Total weight
80 g
Condition
Good condition - used with some signs of wear
Ethnic group/ culture
Berbères (ou Imazighen)
Country of Origin
Morocco
Sold with stand
No
Title additional information
Morocco 1930-1960
Width
40 cm
Sold by
