Antique Kazakh Central Asian Silver Cuff Bracelet

A very unusual Kazakh cuff bracelet or bilezik made from high grade silver and featuring a central solar motif. I believe it is from Eastern Kazakhstan. The bracelet sports lovely chased work with vine and bird motifs. There is such fantastic wear on this bracelet that the protective teeth like ends are almost completely worn. This suggests age of late 19th century or early 20th century. A similar bracelet can be seen in Anne van Custem's A world of Bracelets.  This bracelet has a strange little ridge in the middle. A similar feature is displayed on a similar 19th century bracelet in the Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan. A similar bracelet can be seen in Anne Van Cutsem's A World of Bracelets.

Inner diameter is 14 cm (5 3/8") with an extra 3 cm (1 1/4") for the gap. Width is 4.5 cm (1 3/4") at the widest (with the small protrusion). Inner diameter is 5.5 cm (2 1/8"). Weight is 81.9 grams.