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Picture is an example. Your set will be very similar. Additional information: Talhakimt pendants were produced by both the French and Czech-Bohemian bead industries during the trade bead era, which peaked between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Czech versions were made from molded glass, and came in a variety of colors, including green, red and blue. French Talhakimts were the brainchild of Jean-Felix Bapterosses, a pioneering button and bead maker. As a young man, Bapterosses traveled to England, where he studied the “Prosser” technique of molding and firing a paste to produce a hard porcelain-like material. Bapterosses returned to France and, after making several improvements to the technique, implemented it at his button and bead factory in Briare. Talhakimt pendants were one of the many items manufactured at the factory. French Talhakimts, along with their Czech-Bohemian counterparts, were exported mainly to West Africa, where they were believed to have amuletic properties. Mauritanian women wore them in elaborate headdresses, plaited into long braids. The most spectacular examples of this kind of adornment were found among the dancers of the Guedra, a traditional dance in which women displayed their love for men in ritual form. This information is drawn primarily from The French Connection: Prosser Beads Revisited, by John and Ruth Picard (http://www.beadcollector.net/picards/) and from Africa Adorned, by Angela Fisher **110052** All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2006 Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers! Please visit our About Us page. |
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Africa Direct, Inc. has been selling on eBay since 1997 and has received more than 51,000 positive feedbacks. It is owned by Eliza and Sara, who began the company after spending a year wandering southern Africa in a camper van with their multi-racial family. They have been honored with eBay's Hall of Fame award, and by eBay Giving Works, through which they have raised more than $125,000 in charity auctions. Customer Service: We treasure our many long term customers, and will try to make you one of them! If you have problems, please tell us... we care! Handling Time: We ship daily except Sundays and holidays. Most orders go out the same day, and all go out within 48 hours. Returns: We want you to be happy with your purchase. You're welcome to return an item within 30 days in the same condition you received it--just let us know you're returning it. You may have either a credit or a refund for your purchase price, not including shipping both ways. If your original payment was made through PayPal, we'll refund you through PayPal; if you paid us directly with your credit card, we'll refund the credit card. Combining Shipping: You are welcome to wait to pay, and to combine multiple items for shipping. We ask that you keep each order to 10 days or 10 items, whichever comes first--then start another order. When you're ready, just send us a list of item numbers or an invoice request and we'll send you an invoice. You can pay by Paypal or credit card. U.S. Shipping: We use a professional shipper who has worked with us for ten years. He and his staff take great care in packing our artwork, much of which is antique, irregularly-shaped, and fragile. The cost of his labor and the special packing materials he uses is reflected in our handling price. Our U.S. shipping charges also include insurance; we self-insure on smaller orders. For these reasons, our shipping and handling charges may be more than the price of postage. International Shipping: We ship dozens of international orders each week, to customers on every continent except Antarctica! The shipping charges included in our listings are for U.S. orders. Contact us for shipping charges to your country. We offer uninsured USPS First Class airmail, insured Priority airmail, and insured Express airmail to most parts of the world, depending on the weight, volume, and value of an item. We also ship via FedEx or DHL on request. Import duties, taxes, and charges are NOT INCLUDED in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding / buying. These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up -- do not confuse them for additional shipping charges. And please do not ask us to mark merchandise values below the actual value or mark items as "gifts"--U.S. and International government regulations prohibit such behavior. Newsletter, previews and special offers: Sign up for our newsletter |