Things I want to keep January 23 2015

Sometimes, I find things that I really would like to hang on to, if only for a while. This is one of those items. You can just feel the history pouring off it. It is a stunning example of a Kuba beaded belt, but more than that, it is a REALLY early one. Just look at the back and you can see that it is stitched together with what looks like some sort of grass or plant material and you can see where it has been patched and repaired over the years. Together with the irregular size and shape of the beads, these are exactly the sorts of things that all add up to show its true age. It will be a shame to see it go, but in the mean time I will enjoy it as much as I can.

http://www.thecabinetofcuriosities.co.uk/collections/ethnographic/products/kuba-ceremonial-beaded-belt