A refined West African 'Torque' Amulet ring, hand-forged in a deeply twisted spiral form. The shank features a high-relief 'torsade' (twist) that terminates in a flattened, ornate hand-stamped bridge. This specific geometric stamping is a signature of Tuareg smiths, serving as both decoration and a protective mark.
Material: Traditional Forged Metal - likely traditional ethnographic Coin Silver Alloy
Weight: 16 g
Size 7
Provenance: From a group of African objects acquired via estate sale auction from the personal collection of African art scholar Roy Sieber. Documentation supporting this past ownership is available to the buyer upon request (personal information and pricing redacted).
Not cleaned or fully tested for metal composition. Not attracted by magnet. A discreet surface test confirms a consistent silver-white color throughout the metal, with no yellow or red base-metal undertones visible. In the absence of an XRF gun, a chemical acid test was declined as it would require invasive scratching that would compromise the integrity of this historic piece.