nomadsally: A Robbery Inspires Creativity

A Robbery Inspires Creativity

Vintage Middle East Jewelry

It was early that Wednesday morning in Soldan, Austria when the call came through. "Mom, someone entered your house and took all your tribal jewelry!"

I had no idea how we could respond being half a world away and in the middle of our ski holiday. Our son told us that the family would take care of the immediate details and we could handle the rest upon our return home in a week.

Since Wednesday was filled with ski lessons and sunny skies, we tried to make the best of our Austria ski trip and worry when we got home and could do something.

But, I couldn't stop thinking about the beautiful memories of our life and adventures in Egypt, Yemen, Sudan, Jordan, and Syria as portrayed by my beads and baubles. So many pieces we had found in the most colorful and remote oasis of the Middle East. My mind was filled with pictures of some of the following:

More Treasures

Made by Jewish Silversmith in Yemen

Arriving home I saw the results of the robbery, the broken window, the blood stains on the walls, the jewelry chest EMPTY! The security alarm had gone off, but only after he had hurriedly stuffed our pillow case with the contents of the chest. Following his track I found many small pieces left behind as he hurriedly rushed to his car.

We began immediately assessing the loss, calling insurance and police, and planning our response. First we made an information sheet of the description of losses and photos of pieces (comparables on Ebay). Put in an add on Craigs List and the local newspaper.

With the info sheet complete, I made my first investigative visit to a central and highly trafficked store that sold some unique silver pieces. After asking them if they had seen any items comparable to my illustrations recently, they told me that just yesterday a couple had come in with very similar necklaces. Thus, I knew that my jewelry was sill in the area and hadn't been shipped out to sell.

Thus began my intense three days of visiting ever jewelry, pawn shop, and antique store in the region. It felt good to use all my pent-up emotional energy in a positive mode.

The final day and last stop of my sluthing took me to a small antique shop and just like all the other visits, I left my info paper, contact number , and assured them that I would reinburse them if they did find anything comparable. That was late Friday afternoon. The next morning at 10:00 am I had a message on machine to call that shop. They had found a basket weighing about 7 pounds of my jewelry (my husband's fraternity pin with his name) at a garage sale and had purchased it. Unbelievable.....

Another chapter of the robbery developed upon placing an ad for the lost vintage Middle Eastern jewelry my ad in the local newspaper. Responding to the ad, a Spanish-speaking male told me that he had seen somebody walking around trying to sell some ethnic jewelry. I asked him how he could identify Middle Eastern pieces and he told me that he had looked on the internet to verify their identity. After confirming that my caller, who I called Sweet Throat, was credible, we decided to meet at the local Safeway parking lot to make a deal... Sure enough he had found a large sack of my jewelry. (Many of the necklaces and bracelets had been cut up to get the higher quality silver items.)

Five other transfers of jewelry took place with my Sweet Throat connection. I confirmed Sweet Throat's credibility when he was willing to identify the robber at a police station line up... Unfortunately, he returned to Mexico because his illegal status limited employment in USA.

Currently, I am creating my own necklaces with the found pieces and beads from my own collection. Below are some examples.

My Favorite Silver Yemeni Medallion

A Silver Amulet from Yemen

Trade Beads from West Africa
Variety of Vintage Eye Beads and Silver from Ethiopia

A Protective Hand from Siwa Oasis
Coral Beads from Egypt
Silver Beads from Ethiopia

A Medallion Made by the Silversmiths of Yemen

A Tuarig Cross from North Africa
Coral Beads from Egypt

Exquiste Chevron Beads from West Africa

Yemeni Silver Pieces
Vintage Silver Beads from Ethiopia

Multi-colored Eye Beads from Africa
Medallion from Siwa Oasis
Silver Beads from Ethiopia

Close up View

Charles IV 1796 Coin with Beads from Egpt
Multi-colored Eye beads
Silver Beads from Ethiopia

Another View of Charles IV Coin Necklace

Available To Buy
at
Yakima Art Connection
Sally Fitch
Now there are so many creations that I want to sell some on the website, Yakima Arts Connection. Below are the some of the necklaces that I will be selling. There will be more to come, even bracelets and earrings.