Vintage Miao Pair of Matching Bracelets

Two lovely perfectly wearable bracelets typical of the Miao Chinese minority from the Guizhou Province. They are both marked with Chinese Characters inside.

The Miao are a group of related ethnic minorities in Southwestern China. Their jewelry is elegant and totally handmade through a lengthy process. The content of silver in Miao jewelry traditionally depended on the silver currency. So it can be high or low according to age and region ( in the North the jewelry had higher silver content because the currency used had higher purity silver where as in the South currency had low silver content). In this pair of bracelets silver if it is present is below 50%, so most likely an alloy involving copper and tin.  They have nice color and patina and are in excellent condition.

Inner circumference is 18.5 cm (7 1/4"). Inner diameter is 6.2 cm (2 3/8"). Slightly adjustable by pulling both ends gently. Width is 6 mm (1/4"). Weight is about 51 grams each.