Azul Tribe

This wonderful forum is the EthnicJewels.Ning.com Community for the discussion and sharing of all things ethnic jewellery related which Sarah Corbett a UK based Moroccan jewels expert started in 2010. It is a fabulous research tool for discussing and researching traditional and antique ethnic jewellery from around the world. Friendships and partnerships have been formed that in some cases have…

I decided to travel further afield over the High Atlas pass to Ouarzarzate, a city south of Morocco’s Atlas mountains.It is known as a gateway to the Sahara Desert. In the past, Ouarzazate was a crossroad for African traders seeking to reach northern cities in Morocco and Europe. During the French period, Ouarzazate expanded considerably as a garrison town and administrative centre. It is the largest town in the Moroccan Sahara.

On the way from Marrakech over high mountain passes  one glimpses very rural Berber villages, I guessed grandmothers still own jewels, very simple yet beautiful traditional items such as necklaces and bracelets and perhaps they traded them to local dealers. I hoped that I could find items in Ouarzazate that could be more difficult to find in Marrakesh.

The town itself is rather drab, it used to be a trading stop on the old trans Saharan caravan route. This route is the heart of much of my jewellery as there are influences from all over Africa and Europe that cross fertilise much of the tradtions of adornment in the regions.

Now the town mainly used as a base for tours with day trips and overnight excursions to oasis valleys and the Sahara sand dunes.

But there is one row of shops in the town, one of which particularly still holds many treasures and in some of the other nearby shops one can find, buried in hidden boxes, items of great interest.

I found three little necklaces, simple Berber pieces, made by grandmothers in local villages. Strung with old coins in traditional and homey ways. To me these are great treasures, they speak of a way of life , of people and of traditions that have virtually disappeared.

I also found bracelets and earrings as well as a wonderful headpiece, photographs from the 1930s show how these were worn by tribal women.

I love their shapes and their simple artistry and I love the mystery of the rural and tribal socieites from which they have sprung.

At the annual fair – a celebration of British goldsmithing and silversmithing talent  there is a free metal analysis service, so I  bring along some of my desert silver, which is usually unmarked  to see what kind of mysterious metal and silver mix the tribal smiths have used.

Here you can see my antique Moroccan Draa valley bangle in the analyser x ray machine propped up between a book and a circular box. On the screen analysis – Ag is the silver content, the bangle consists of 835 parts silver to 155 parts copper.

On one of my previous years visits I made friends with one of the exhibiting goldsmiths Melissa Rigby. http://www.melissarigby.co.uk/

She had spotted one of my Tuareg veil weights I’d brought to test  and immediately bought it! I was drawn to her  by her lapis lazuli and gold necklace which to me looked like a something from an early civilization. The lapis is beautifully unpolished and the centre piece is Melissa’s own technique of fusing gold and enamel. Absolutely stunning!

    If you are in London is early October the Goldsmith’s Fair is unmissable.

2016 has been a different, exciting and challenging year for Azul Tribe. The contemporary Tuareg jewellery design has slowed down and I have concentrated on learning about and buying antique pieces as can currently be seen on my home page. In the summer I did share a stand with Tuareg smith Ag Hamid from Timbuktu at the Womad world music festival which was great fun. Here we are in our tent…

45 grams

the square bit is 2.6 cms/ 1 ins high

Adjustable £120 Click HERE to buy

silver

54 grams each

inner diameter 6cms

They fit a medium to large wrist, the price is for each one. It would be a shame to split these twins but Im happy to do so. They would have originally been worn as a pair.

each weighs 165 grams

inner diamter 6.5 cms to outer edges of large bobbles 9.5 cms

£350 each Click HERE to buy

These are easy and comfortable to wear and are of a high quality of silver. The price is for each one

weight 63 grams each

inner diameter 5.8 cms

£160 each, £300 pair click HERE to buy

They are in perfect condition

each weighs 54 grams £180 each £350 for the pair

Click here to buy 

December events Alexandra Palace Antique Fair and the Islington Christmas Market

Please do come see me at Alexandra Palace Antique Fair Sunday 6th December, please go to the site for your discounted ticket  http://popupvintagefairs.co.uk/alexandra-palace/ The Islington Green pop up  Christmas Market for the 11th to the 20th December http://islingtonchristmasmarket.com/

low silver metal mix. It is very difficult to find such old pieces now. £150 each.

This is a contemporary beautifully made pure 999 % purity silver necklace strung with onyx and silver ‘ismamen’ beads. Cornerless ‘nagi nagi’ beads accent top and tail of the pendant and are strung into the dangles below. It is a one off piece hand crafted and signed by Tuareg smith Achmatta Hamad Guissa in his workshop in the desert city of Agadez in Niger.

It is master workmanship,  inspired by more traditional and rare antique ‘tadnit’ necklaces, of which I show below. But I have never seen even an antique one as beautifully made as this one. A luscious and luxurious piece. Signed.

101 grams

length of pendant  2.5 inches/6.5cms

length of necklace – made to fit over the head 24 inches/60cms

length of dangle beads 3.2 inches /8cms

The onyx beads were sourced in the UK as sadly few gemstones now make it to Agadez

£300.00

To purchase please click here

creole earrings with amethyst

Pure silver creole earrings. These are also available with lapis stones. Diameter 2 ins/5cms

Long drop ebony tipped earrings

A simple and classic shape, elegant long drops of pure silver tipped with ebony and silver. Length 3ins/7.5 cms £45.00

I found the stone and took it to Africa where I worked with the best tribal smiths I could find. This was the result of an amazing collaboration with Djaba, one of the top Tuareg smiths in Niger, West Africa.

Width of pendant 2.7 ins Length of pendant 2.5 ins

Length of necklace 17.5 ins

  £280.00

WOMAD FESTIVAL JULY 25 TO 28TH 2015

Yup, I’ll be there along with Guy Lankaster who will be promoting his amazing overland journeys to Africa FROM HERE TO TIMBUKTU http://www.fromhere2timbuktu.com/