buckle/clasp

C/2000/2293   Silver alloy buckle/clasp, combining wirework and enamel on a sheet silver background. The clasp consists of two almond-shaped elements that terminate in anthemia, and a central plaquette over the fastening. Stylised floral motifs made of wire and filled with yellow, green, blue, and light-blue enamel, cover the surfaces of all three clasp parts. At the upper side of the almond-shaped pieces, the enamelled designs extend beyond the frame of beaded wire. The central part of the clasp features a rosette surrounded by floral motifs. On the reverse side, there are two long and narrow bars, for attaching the clasp to a belt. The clasp closes with a loop and a wire hook, onto which the central plaquette is affixed.   Enamelled clasps of the Ethnographic Museum of Cyprus, dating to the 19th century, are similar in their technique and design but differ in their shape (see clasp in Papadimitriou 1996, 41, fig. 49, the central element of which is identical to clasp 2293, and 58, fig. 74). All are of Cypriot craftsmanship.    Total length: 10 cm. Height: cm. Donation from the A.G. Leventis Foundation.