A late 19th / 20th century Armenian silver and niello belt, Van circa 1900

Formed as sixteen articulated segments with facted beaded decoration, each centring an oval niello plaque alternating coat of arms of the Ottoman Turkish empire, a Tughra, a forget me not flower head and a church scene. The buckle with flowering scroll decoration centring a Tughra, suspending filigree tassels (one tassel deficient). Each segment stamped to the back with provincial tughra.

Length - 78 cm / 30.7 inches

Weight - 336 grams / 11.8 ozt