Armband gesneden uit imitatieschildpad c. 1930 - 1932

Curator: Here we have an "Armband gesneden uit imitatieschildpad," or Armband carved from imitation tortoise shell, dating from about 1930 to 1932. It’s quite a simple circular form, isn't it? Editor: My first thought? Smooth. It has that lovely Art Deco streamlining – like a whisper of old Hollywood glamour. Curator: Absolutely. Although the material is imitation, it evokes the luxury and exoticism so characteristic of Art Deco. It was quite common to use alternative materials that merely alluded to high end or restricted resources, opening such luxuries to wider consumers. Editor: So, a clever wink to wealth and status without, perhaps, the actual cost or environmental impact? It reminds me how resourceful artisans were, crafting beauty out of the readily available. Imitation tortoise shell must have been more widely affordable, impacting supply chains, production, consumption. Curator: Precisely! What’s really remarkable is the degree of skill in manipulating the material to create this sleek, continuous loop. It's almost sculptural in its simplicity. Editor: You're right, there's something tactile about it, despite being behind glass. The way the light catches its surface makes me want to pick it up and feel its weight and the warmth. Is that material some kind of early plastic or composite? It has this mass-produced, pre-formed vibe, contrasting sharply with traditional tortoise-shell carving that highlights a master craftsman’s work. Curator: More than the artistry though, what captivates me is its cyclical, timeless feel. Think about wearing something like this; it carries echoes of flapper dances and modernistic ideals, of both material ingenuity and changing concepts about wealth and authenticity. Editor: And perhaps a little melancholy for lost tortoises, as we became more aware of where these materials came from and started shifting our tastes toward imitations, hopefully saving animal populations from further harm, a constant challenge across art and industrial creation. Curator: Indeed, and its geometry, in a way, is an emblem of progress, but with lingering echoes of yesterday. Editor: Progress isn’t always progress! What remains of true interest is the legacy of such modest artefacts to trace shifts in taste and technologies across eras.