Bracelet

Bracelets were essential to a woman’s collection, and a simple version was often a Wolof woman’s first acquisition. Like necklaces and earrings, bracelets come in a wide variety of inventive styles, from the braided and twisted designs, which required the female client’s presence to designate the tightness of the twist, to delicate, European-inspired flowers, to Islamic-inspired half-moon bracelets.

Though this bracelet is inspired by the Islamic half moon motif, it has no direct religious affiliation but was likely chosen for its monumental qualities and three-part composition. Granulation, applying tiny balls of metal to metal sheets, filigree, a delicate jewelry technique that incorporates finely curving metal wires in a frame, and twisted wire techniques can all be observed in this piece.

Two-piece hinged gold alloy bracelet in the shape of a hollow central crescent or half moon (Islamic) pendant flanked by projecting circular filigree half domes decorated with twisted wire circles and globules. Tiered projections flank the central pendant at the corners and the half moon pendant is decorated with applied globules and twisted wire at the edges, and wire and twisted wire swirls and lines. The rest of the bracelet is flattened metal with applied twisted wire circles in three rows (some of which are missing). Hinge pin closure.

Marian Johnson, purchased in Dakar, Senegal, 1963-late 20th century to 2012

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