Mid-20th Century | Hand-Engraved Sterling Silver with Niello Enamel | Italy 925

A magnificent pairing of vintage Siam sterling niello work, this bracelet and necklace embody the refinement of mid-century Thai silversmithing. Each charm is meticulously hand-etched in silver and inlaid with black niello enamel, a labor-intensive process once reserved for courtly and ceremonial ornaments. The technique — derived from a fusion of ancient Greek and Ayutthayan metal traditions — involves filling engraved silver with a dark metallic compound of sulfur and silver, then polishing to reveal silver reliefs that gleam like moonlight on obsidian. The result is a striking chiaroscuro effect: elegant, dramatic, and unmistakably Siamese. The motifs depict Mekkala, goddess of lightning, and Ramasoon, god of thunder — figures from the Ramakien epic, Thailand’s version of the Ramayana. Mekkala’s dance releases flashes of light, while Ramasoon’s pursuit brings the rain; together they symbolize the eternal balance of energy and renewal, the cosmic tension between light and storm. To wear these figures is to carry the dual forces of illumination and transformation — protective amulets for travelers, artists, and those in creative pursuit. Siam niello jewelry flourished between the 1930s–1960s, created primarily in Chiang Mai and Bangkok workshops before Siam officially became Thailand in 1939. Each piece was hand-made, and no two engravings are identical — making complete, well-matched sets like this increasingly rare.