Antique Ottoman Silver and Niello Belt

An antique Ottoman belt made of silver and niello. It is most likely to be from the late 19th century or early 20th century. It is made of panels interlinked by rectangular links and has a silver filigree buckle with a chatelaine. All its components are made of silver tested and guaranteed and it has a very slight gold gilt that has worn away with age.

This belt is meant for a lady.  Its maximum wearable length is 87 cm or just over 34". Notches in the panels make it adjustable up to a minimum size of 68 cm (26 1/2"). Width of panels : 4 cm (1 1/2") and of buckle is 5 cm (2"). Buckle length is 7 cm (2 3/4"). The weight of the belt is 340 g on my kitchen scale.

Now for the defects: There is a repair to the last panel that attaches to the buckle that you can see in the last photo. There is also some damage to part of the filigree buckle. One of the four florets on the filigree buckle is also missing, Despite these faults, the belt is valuable for its history and its silver content, and the damages are reflected in the price.

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