A World of Head Ornaments: Africa, Asia, Oceania, America

A passionate interest and a lifetime spent seeking out the world's finest ethnic jewelry has contributed to making the Ghysels collection one of the premier collections of its kind in the world. Jean-Pierre and Colette Ghysels have indulged their passion indiscriminately, according as much attention to ethnographic objects as to extraordinary pieces of ethnic jewelry. They are guided by a single criterion: the quality that gives rise to beauty, a strict standard indeed, but one made possible by their longstanding familiarity with ethnic objects. A vast array of hair combs, pins, jewelry made to be woven into braids, nose rings, lip plugs, forehead ornaments and other related objects made out of the most diverse materials, many never before seen, are presented in beautifully composed photographs. The book is divided into geographical sections and includes 200 annotated photographs, a glossary, an index, maps, and a general bibliography. The author's essay describes the uses and meaning of the objects in different cultures and emphasizes the originality of the pieces.