Occasionally, a piece begins as one vision and ends as another, and so it is with this concha-style barrette. Concha is the Spanish word for shell, and the stampwork indeed resembles tiny shells. But once the pick was added, this piece manifested itself as a much larger shell, that of Grandmother Turtle, who personifies sustenance: She comes with the waters that give us life, and in some traditions, she supports this world on her shell. The ajouré barrette is hand-cut in a scalloped design, with an open saw-work center and a repeating shell pattern around the edges. The head of the spiraled pick is gently domed, repoussé-fashion, with coordinating stampwork in traditional patterns.
Sterling silver
$425 + shipping, handling, and insurance
SOLD
