Lot 331
331
A MOROCCAN GEMSET GOLD "HAND OF FATIMA" NECKLACE (KHAMSA)
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more
A MOROCCAN GEMSET GOLD "HAND OF FATIMA" NECKLACE (KHAMSA)

FEZ, 19TH CENTURY

Details
A MOROCCAN GEMSET GOLD "HAND OF FATIMA" NECKLACE (KHAMSA)
FEZ, 19TH CENTURY
The pendant worked with bevelled scrolling openwork gold enclosing inset stones and also panels of coloured enamels, the reverse plain, suspended on multiple seed-pearl strands with enamelled gold spherical bead and smaller plain gold bead spacers
Pendant 3½in. (8.8cm.) long
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis. Please note that the lots of Iranian origin are subject to U.S. trade restrictions which currently prohibit the import into the United States. Similar restrictions may apply in other countries.

Lot Essay

The 'Hand of Fatima' pendant has very considerable talismanic significance in Morocco. Even today numerous differently fashioned hands, made in various metals, are a feature of the jewellers' shops in the cities. For a greater discussion of the symbolism please see Francis Ramirez and Christian Rolot. Bijoux du Maroc, la Beauté des Diables, Courbevoie (Paris), 2002, p. 196-203. Further jewelled gold examples are published from the Musée Dar Belghazi, Salé, and in private collections.

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