……………….Jac and I have long been admires of the Berber people…………..They have been known to go as far back as 500 years before Christ. Today they are living across North Africa, and many live in Morocco. Most still live a nomadic life in the Atlas Mountains. If you don’t know of them, I’m sure many of you have heard of Berber carpets…..one in the same. They are unlike many Arabs of North Africa. They have their own language and their own alphabet, which over the past years is finally being recognized by the Moroccan government. Many signs now have both languages on them……..It is their crafts and mostly their jewelry that has captivated my imagination for many many years. Iris Apfel has a huge collection of Berber jewelry. It amazes me how that tiny woman can even carry all of those extremely heavy necklaces, and huge bracelets, but she piles it on. Where there is a will there is a way, and nothing is going to deter her!….I have scoured NYC for authentic old Berber jewelry, but it was on our trip to Morocco where I hit pay dirt………Richard Gere heard we were going to Marrakesh, yes that Richard Gere, and said we must hire a guide named Gili to take us around, and so we did. The hotel, La Mamounia new of Gili, but since he wasn’t a registered government guide they were hesitant to make the meeting. The first day we had to take a government guide and he took us to every rug seller in the city, even after we told him we weren’t interested in purchasing a rug. We quickly got the picture that these so called guides…guided us to specific shops to purchase thing we did’t want. I’m sure the government got a kick back. I insisted to the concierge that I wanted Gili, and the next day Gili showed up. He was a sight to behold! He was about 5’1″ and weighed maybe 120 lbs, dressed in an all white shirt to the floor over pants and a white fez. Jac looked at me and said “are you sure??” I said “Richard said he was the best?” so off we went. I think Jac thought we were going to be kidnapped……Gili was wonderful. We had him every other day and he took us to incredible places inside and outside of Marrakesh…..places we would never have seen with a government guide….places the average tourist would never ever see. I told Gili I was very interest in buying authentic real Berber jewelry, and did he know of any places in the Souk where I should go? He smiled…. He shook his head NO. He said 98% of the jewelry and antiques were new and even though they looked old they were not….so….on one of our day excursions we took a two hour drive to Taroudant in search of my Berber jewelry…Taroudant is know as “the little Marrakesh”…..it is a beautiful city, but off the beaten path…..We arrived at a shop that was owned by a very distinguished man. It was old and some what dusty, but he had amazing antiques and BERBER JEWELRY….cases of it…..we hit pay dirt. I felt like Alibaba entering the cave of the 40 thieves! My eyes were so big looking at these treasures. I really had to hold myself back, and with Jac’s help made a selection of 8 pieces. Some of the pieces in the photos above are mine….Jac also picked up some items for the house. We had it shipped back home. This gentleman had obviously done this before, and his things were incredible. We new that this would be a once in a life time experience. On our way back we stopped at La Gazelle D’Ore for a late lunch. It is a wonderful small hotel with marvelous outdoor dining by the pool. It had been Barbara Hutton’s house, or one of those billionaire heiresses from the past…….I took lots of pictures, and I have searched, but I can’t find them. I only have the few we framed….none of the shop or Gili…………just my wonderful memories
Thank you so much for that wonderful story. Your inspired piece will have so much more meaning to me and I probably will remember this story every time I wear it.
This is all quite fascinating. The necklace I have which was attributed to being Bedouin is definitely Berber. Like your necklace it has 5 antique amber beads in the same shape, but mine are quite dark now. The main beads are Venetian glass black lamp work, bicone in shape, that I thought were clay. They are matte in finish. I just found that they are antique African trade beads. The spacers are also bicone, but in a pitted brass finish. If it weren’t for your necklace, I never would have researched mine. I look forward to yours, especially love the honey. It looks so authentic. My necklace is too heavy to wear anymore.
It’s amazing how heavy the original necklaces were and how many they wore! Jac never wore any of therm because they were too heavy. I have to have some restrung as the weight and age has destroyed the cords. Soon I’ll have a pile of beads! LOL
Hi Louis!
Your stories of the travels you & Jac took thru the years were sure adventurous. Cue to an Indiana Jones movie; Ha!
I would like to know more about the smaller colored beads in the picture to the left of the woman who has her right hand over her eye. My mother bought those beads in the late 60’s / early 70’s. They are not painted but the designs go almost thru to the stringer holes. I have several of the small silverish metal spacer beads and the Amber beads too! I need to pull them out!
Dawn, I think you are referring to the little chunks of Coral beads
Hi Louis!
No not the coral beads. They are the smaller beads which look like flowers on them. They are either a glass or ceramic and the base near the stringing is black.My mother called them African trading beads.
Dawn
Yes, those are Venetian Millefiori glass beads, also called African trading beads.
Yes designista is right….they are the Millefiori beads. The glass people in Venice do many versions which are equally as beautiful. They are still made today after centuries.
Louis & Designista, Thanks to the both of you for the info. I look forward to the “Honey” version to wear with my Mothers beads. Of course your rendition will be so much lighter.
Have a great weekend!
Dawn
What a fabulous story and inspirations.
I think it’s wise to trust the Gili name – reminds me of Scottish ghillies.
The diamond cross necklace is wonderful – some hints of your Maltese cross. Also drawn to the green-yellow-red enamel piece. I would wear that hat with the spikes and hoops if I could get away with it IRL.
Good thing you have sapphire this season after mentioning Tuareg blue.
I would have named the color Tuareg Blue but none at QVC would have known what I was talking about….
Louis, These Berber necklaces are definitely my style! More than 20 years ago I travelled around Morocco – Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Meknes and Marrakesh. One day my friend and I took a taxi to the city of Agadir on the coast. We went into a shop that made custom-made clothing from lamb skin suede. I picked out some turquoise skins and had a suit made while we had lunch at a seaside restaurant! Back at the shop, I noticed a gorgeous beaded necklace in a case. It had huge turquoise beads along with many types of silver beads. The shop owner didn’t want to sell it but I persisted and eventually talked him into it. As you noted, it is quite heavy and definitely a statement piece. Years later I saw something very similar in a case at Jacques Carcanagues in SoHo. Yvonne, the lovely sales lady, explained that it wasn’t turquoise, but Amazonite. Eventually I had to have the necklace restrung because it was originally strung on fishing line. I love the color of your Honey Berber necklace – very authentic looking! — and I will love to have it in my jewelry collection.
I miss Yvonne and Jacques.That was an amazing store never to be replicated again. Without Jacques it’s impossible. Did you ever go downstairs where all the beads and jewelry was?
Louis, OMG! Yes, I definitely went downstairs. I was like a kid in a candy store! I purchased many,many gorgeous, colorful beaded necklaces there. There was an antique amber necklace with humongous beads (an Iris Apfel piece, for sure). It was waaay out of my price range but I still think about it. Yes, a one-of-a-kind store never to be repeated.
Wow Louis what a story! From the moment I saw this necklace on Maria I knew I had to have it. I have a degree in art and I love artisan crafted pieces as well. I will have a hard time trying to pick a color, maybe I will buy two. Thank you for your attention to detail and the wonderful stories behind the clothing and jewelry. We are blessed to experience your talent.