4 Bronze Bracelets Lot n° 2

4 bronze bracelets Ohne Sockel / without base Copper alloys. Ø 7,5 - 15 cm. Provenance: Beatrice Leutert and Marcel Plüss, Thurgau, Switzerland. Since time immemorial, jewelry in various forms and materials has accompanied and fascinated people of all cultures. From a cultural point of view, bangles, anklets, amulets, finger rings and necklaces are much more than just pieces of jewelry. In large parts of Africa, the masterfully crafted precious objects are appreciated for their beauty, but the valuable ornaments are above all also part of religious beliefs. They are therefore testimonies to the affiliation, rank and faith of the wearers. Furthermore, healers prescribed the wearing of protective jewelry for recovery or to avert disaster. The precious items were thus also worn as magical, protective and power-giving objects. For the production of the valuable unique pieces, in addition to local materials, such as gold, silver, copper, iron, stone, ivory, shell or resin, popular imported goods were also used (glass, coral, cowries, etc.). Indian stone beads, for example, had reached Africa very early through the trade routes of the Near East. Later, during Murano's heyday between the 16th and 19th centuries, glass beads of Italian manufacture in particular found a ready market. Due to the value of the processed raw materials, the jewelry was also a store of value, and was also used as a means of exchange and payment. These pre-coinage means of payment (so-called primitive money) in standardized forms were traded over long distances. The use of imported copper alloy manillas as barter items dates back in Africa to at least the 16th century, when the Portuguese established trading posts in West Africa. Over time, these imported goods were repeatedly melted down and cast or forged into new shapes, and other materials, such as iron, were increasingly traded in the same way. At the beginning of the 20th century, most colonial powers banned these forms of money as a means of payment in order to establish their own currencies. Further reading: Glar, Wilfried (2002). African Maturity. Attempt at an overview (5 volumes). Self-published. CHF 100 / 200 The condition (wear, eventual cracks, tear, other imperfections and the effects of aging etc. if applicable) of this lot is as visible on the multiple photos we have uploaded for your documentation. Please feel free to contact Hammer Auctions for all questions you might have regarding this lot (info@hammerauktionen.ch). Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Hammer Auctions shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. In the rare event that the item did not conform to the lot description in the sale, Hammer Auctions is here to help. Buyers may return the item for a full refund provided you notify Hammer Auctions within 5 days of receiving the item. ------------------------------------ The condition (any wear, signs of use, cracks, any other deterioration and the signs of age etc.) of this lot can be seen in the photos we have uploaded for your documentation. Hammer Auctions will be happy to answer any questions you may have about this item (info@hammerauktionen.ch). Any statements regarding the condition of the items made as a matter of fact to prospective buyers are opinions only and should not be treated as statements of fact. Hammer Auctions assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions. In the rare event that the item does not match the description in the catalog, Hammer Auctions is here to help. Buyers may return the lot for a full refund, provided they notify Hammer Auctions within 5 days of receiving the lot.