Mother of Dragons! (Actually it's Mother of Pearl and Silver Dragons) - Help please!

[50sVintage]

Hi All,

Found this amazing mother-of-pearl and sterling dragon collar. "Sterling" embossed on reverse and no other identifying marks. The chain is missing but otherwise in fabulous shape. It's 6" x 4". I've no clue who is the maker or what time period it's from. I'm thinking 60s to the present but
really have
no clue.

Ideas?

Thank you in advance for input of any kind!

Mia

 

[retro ruth]

I can't help but I had to comment - that's fabulous! I could totally see Daenerys in it.

 

[50sVintage]

I can't help but I had to comment - that's fabulous! I could totally see Daenerys in it.

Thank you, Ruth!

 

[50sVintage]

Here's a picture of the back of the piece - shows very tight soldering. That tiny rectangle is where Sterling is embossed.

 

[50sVintage]

Still hoping someone might know something about this - - - - the chain needed for it almost begs for more dragons so finding the right chain won't be easy.

 

[cmpollack]

It's a great piece! I've never encountered something similar, but if you google images of "Kina Shell Pectoral", you'll find a slew of examples from New Guinea/Solomon Islands/Oceania, of a choker length necklace with a crescent shaped piece of shell.

I also found a few examples that appeared to be artisan pieces, maybe inspired by the traditional ornament. Wonder if that could be the case with yours?

 

[50sVintage]

Carrie, thanks ever so much for the info. So it is shell, not m.o.p. I kept googling m.o.p. - no wonder my searches didn't result in anything. Can't thank you enough for identifying the likely origin!

 

[cmpollack]

Mia--you're most welcome, but I'm not sure you can conclude anything about the origin of this... yet! The Asian-y silver dragons really don't reconcile with the Pacific Islands examples. But hopefully you now have another direction to research into...

Sorry I can't be of more help--the piece really doesn't ring a bell with me!

 

[Midge]

I agree, this kind of neckwear is typical for some places in Papua New Guinea, and probably also turns up in other Melanesian cultures - like the Solomon Islands.

 

[50sVintage]

Ladies, thank you again for your input!

 

[Jonathan]

Its a gorget - based on a medieval throat protector piece of armour. It developed into this shape in military dress in the 18th century. Native Americans also made decorative versions based on the military version, but the silver dragons are not Native -those look Celtic to me.

http://nativenewsonline.net/currents/gorgets-offer-insight-early-chickasaw-culture/

 

[50sVintage]

Jonathan,

Many thanks, indeed. Yours was one piece of research! How very interesting. Maybe not the first time a piece of armor turned a la Vogue?? The way armor used to exaggerate and/or protect shoulders morphed over the centuries to the 40s and then 80s ensembles, it seems. I wouldn't have thought of it in the context of my shell collar, though, if you hadn't brought it up!

Thank you again!