Portable Treasuries: Silver Jewelry from the Nadler Collection - Part I

The Museum of Arts and Design in New York City, NY, is currently displaying approximately 150 pieces of silver tribal jewelry from the Daniel and Serga Nadler collection. The Nadler's are most generously offering this collection to the museum as a future gift, and this its inaugural showing. The exhibition, Portable Treasuries: Silver Jewelry from the Nadler Collection runs Feb. 16 through Sep. 26, 2010. For this exhibition, the museum has focused on three geographic areas from the Nadler Collection--Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, and Northern Africa.

The jewelry demonstrates the discerning collector's care in selection. These items are handmade and stand as 3D sculptural works of art. One is immediately struck by how massive are many of the pieces. As you read the exhibition labels, you realize that the jewelry was a bank account--a 'portable treasury.' Nomadic peoples, those who have lived in remote or politically unstable areas had to rely on themselves. Jewelry became a savings account on hand for bad times.

When the pieces were worn, they quickly signaled the wearer's economic standing.  Items frequently were part of a dowry or were given as wedding presents. When divorced or widowed, the jewelry was often not worn again, but was the wife's possession.

This type of jewelry is unsigned and hard to date. It has also become scarce because much of it has been melted. So this gift to the museum is truly a treasure to be enjoyed by all. (D.H.)

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