Carnelian Talhakimt Pendants and Skunk Trade Beads

Talhakimt pendants, crafted during the peak of the trade bead era in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, were produced by both French and Czech-Bohemian bead industries. The Czech versions, made from molded glass in various colors like green, red, and blue, coexisted with the French Talhakimts pioneered by Jean-Felix Bapterosses. Bapterosses, known for his innovations in button and bead making, developed these pendants using the "Prosser" technique, creating a hard porcelain-like material. Talhakimt pendants were among the products manufactured at his factory in Briare. Exported mainly to West Africa, both French and Czech-Bohemian Talhakimts were believed to possess amuletic properties. Mauritanian women adorned elaborate headdresses with these pendants, often plaited into long braids, with the most spectacular examples seen in the traditional Guedra dance, where women expressed love for men in ritualistic form.

151416