Tibet | Antieke Tibetaanse chatelaine Chap Chap

Bijzonder zijn de voorwerpjes die er aan hangen, zoals een lepetje om de horen mee schoon te maken, een tandenstoker en manicure gereedschap. Die van mij is niet van zilver, maar de Turquoise steentjes zien er echt uit. Het vakmanschap, de bewerking enz. trok mij aan in dit sieraad.

A chab chab is a piece of jewellery which wealthy Tibetan ladies attached to their clothes beneath the right shoulder. It consists of a brooch like main part to which various small utensils are attached with small chains. Among the utensils are found such instruments as a toothpick, a small spoon for cleaning the ears, pincers and knives for manicure.

Normally the main part a chab chab is made from hammered silver, while the attachments are from cast silver and are often engraved with decorative designs; occasionally a chab chab can be made partly or completely of gold. It could be also a opium kit.

This was used by the Lepcha people from the Tibetan border region from the 1940s or 50s.

This type of ornament was usually worn on the shoulder suspended from a loop. You can see examples here of early 20th century photos of Tibetan women wearing similar chatelaines.