Slender carved bone drops swing from hand-coiled brass cone caps, finished with a fine spiral motif and a single black bead above each pendant. Made by artisans in Kenya, where brass wirework paired with carved bone is a long-running craft tradition.
- Material: Carved bone drops with brass cone caps and a black accent bead
- Size: 3.125"(Plus Hook)x0.75"
- Details: Lightly etched concentric ring motifs along the bone; hand-coiled spiral wirework caps; brass French hook closure
- Origin / Craft: Handmade in Kenya using traditional brass coiling worked over carved bone
Each drop is shaped into a slim marquise silhouette and scored with shallow circle-and-dot impressions, giving the cream bone a soft, low-relief pattern. The brass caps are wound by hand from a single length of wire, so the spirals never sit identically across the pair — a quiet signature of handwork.
Care: Wipe bone gently with a dry soft cloth and keep brass away from moisture and harsh chemicals.
design: Slim, marquise-shaped bone drops hang below hand-coiled brass cone caps and a single black accent bead, with a small coiled brass spiral set at the top of each bone drop.
size: 3.125" long (including ear hook) x 0.75" wide
material: Carved bone drops, brass wire (cone caps, spiral accents, and French hook), and a black accent bead
features: Hand-coiled brass cone caps, hand-wound spiral wire accents, shallow circle-and-dot scoring on the bone, brass French hook closure
care: Wipe the bone gently with a dry, soft cloth and keep the brass away from moisture and harsh chemicals to prevent tarnish.
disclaimer: Because each cap and spiral is coiled by hand from a single length of wire, the coils and bone markings vary slightly between the two earrings.
The Story
Wire coiling is a long-practiced brass technique in Kenya, where artisans wind a single length of wire around a form by hand to build cone shapes, spirals, and other fitted elements without solder. It's a skill that rewards a steady, practiced hand — the wire has to be tensioned evenly as it wraps or the coil won't sit flush.
Here the coiling technique is paired with carved bone, another material with deep roots in East African jewelry making. The bone drops are shaped into a slender marquise form and scored with shallow, low-relief circle-and-dot marks — a simple decorative treatment that catches light differently depending on the angle, giving the cream-colored bone quiet texture rather than a flat surface.
Combining coiled brass with carved bone reflects a practical, resourceful approach to jewelry making: metal for structure and shine, bone for a light, wearable drop. Neither material is treated as raw stock — both are shaped and finished by hand before they're joined.
The artisan starts with a length of brass wire and winds it directly around a cone-shaped core, wrapping coil by coil until the cap is fully built up, then repeats the process on a smaller scale for the spiral accent at the top of each bone drop. The bone itself is cut to shape, carved into a slim marquise silhouette, and scored with rows of shallow circle-and-dot impressions using a hand tool. Because the wire is coiled freehand and the bone is carved individually, no two drops come out perfectly identical — the pair is finished by matching the closest sizes and markings rather than manufacturing them to be uniform.
Craft & Materials
- Made In: Kenya
- Craft Tradition: Hand-coiled brass wirework over carved bone
- Ideal For: Someone who likes lightweight, texture-forward jewelry with visible handwork
- Wear It With: Wear with simple necklines and pulled-back hair so the length and coiled detail can show
- Purpose: Everyday wear, layering with other brass or bone pieces, gifting
- Metal: Brass
Questions & Answers
What are these earrings made of?
The drops are carved bone, topped with brass cone caps and spiral accents that are coiled by hand, plus a single black accent bead and a brass French hook.
Where are they made?
They're handmade in Kenya, using a traditional brass wire-coiling technique worked over carved bone.
Will my two earrings look exactly alike?
They'll be closely matched but not identical — since each brass cap is hand-coiled and each bone drop is individually carved and scored, small variations in the coils and markings are part of the handwork.
How do I take care of them?
Wipe the bone with a dry, soft cloth and keep the brass away from moisture, perfume, and harsh chemicals to help prevent tarnish.
How long do the earrings hang?
Each earring measures about 3.125 inches long, including the French hook, and roughly 0.75 inches at its widest point.
