20th C. Sulawesi High-Karat Gold Bangle - Filigree Floral Rosettes

Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Sulawesi. A high purity gold cuff bracelet from Sulawesi, Indonesia, tested at 21 to 22 karats! The cuff is decorated with ornate raised filigree wirework panels of rosettes and scrolls accented with applied granulation, the panels framed by twisted rope borders with a plain burnished band above. Both ends are marked on the interior with faint stamps, now illegible. Filigree and granulation work of this kind continues a long Indonesian goldsmithing tradition, and the high gold content is consistent with Southeast Asian practice, where jewelry is worked in soft, near-pure gold! Goldsmithing on Sulawesi draws on a long Indonesian tradition of filigree and granulation, techniques diffused across the archipelago through trade with India, mainland Southeast Asia, and China. Rather than casting solid forms, the smith draws gold into fine wire, twists and coils it into scrollwork, and solders the assembly to a thin backing sheet, producing pieces that read as massive while remaining light in metal. The preference for 21K to 22K alloys is deliberate: at that purity the metal is soft enough to draw and coil readily, and its saturated yellow tone is the recognized standard of value in regional markets, where jewelry has long served as a household's most liquid asset. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. Item # 204349

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