Pair of related but different antique decorated camel neck bands The bands incorporate a variety of materials and construction techniques. They are made using cowrie shells, hand made glass beads, hand spun and dyed wool using natural dyes, goat hair bindings on the loops, felted wool fabric and plaited pom pom fasteners. The backs are lined with old, but perhaps not original fabric. There is evident wear from tribal use to the wool bindings on the lower, convex edges at the centre of the bands where they would have rubbed against the camels' necks. The blank, plain wool fabric centres are currently a mystery, and show signs of an additional decoration having been attached, perhaps for displaying a type of beaded rosette as seen in Saul Barodofsky's Textile Museum talk way down this post: http://rjohnhowe.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/saul-barodofsky-on-nazarlik/ I originally thought these were Central Asian Nazarlik camel neck decorations but others believe they are north African tribal pieces, perhaps Moroccan Berber, Tunisian or even from Mali. Feel free to let me know if you have experience of this type of animal trappings. Size 90cm x 8cm each band. €395

Pair of related but different antique decorated camel neck bands

The bands incorporate a variety of materials and construction techniques. They are made using cowrie shells, hand made glass beads, hand spun and dyed wool using natural dyes, goat hair bindings on the loops, felted wool fabric and plaited pom pom fasteners. The backs are lined with old, but perhaps not original fabric. There is evident wear from tribal use to the wool bindings on the lower, convex edges at the centre of the bands where they would have rubbed against the camels' necks. The blank, plain wool fabric centres are currently a mystery, and show signs of an additional decoration having been attached, perhaps for displaying a type of beaded rosette as seen in Saul Barodofsky's Textile Museum talk way down this post: http://rjohnhowe.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/saul-barodofsky-on-nazarlik/

I originally thought these were Central Asian Nazarlik camel neck decorations but others believe they are north African tribal pieces, perhaps Moroccan Berber, Tunisian or even from Mali. Feel free to let me know if you have experience of this type of animal trappings.

Size 90cm x 8cm each band. €395