Sculptural drop earrings pairing hand-shaped brass cones with smooth white bone tips, threaded together for a rustic, tactile finish. Made in Kenya, where bone and brass have long been combined in the country's metalwork and adornment traditions.
- Material: Bone with brass
- Size: About 2"x0.25"
- Details: Tapered brass cone meeting a polished cream bone drop, suspended from a slim brass ear wire
- Origin / Craft: Hand-crafted in Kenya using traditional bone-and-brass techniques
The elongated silhouette reads quietly architectural, with the warm patina of the brass playing against the matte softness of the bone. Each pair shows subtle variations in tone and shape — a hallmark of the hand-finishing process and the natural material.
Care: Wipe bone and brass gently with a dry cloth; keep away from water and lotions to preserve the patina.
design: A slim, architectural drop earring pairing a hand-shaped, tapering brass cone with a smooth white bone tip, the two threaded together into one continuous elongated silhouette on a slender brass ear wire.
size: About 2" x 0.25"
material: Bone with brass
features: Hand-shaped brass cone, polished bone drop, threaded construction, slim ear-wire closure, warm brass patina against matte bone
care: Wipe bone and brass gently with a dry cloth, and keep the earrings away from water and lotions to preserve the patina.
disclaimer: Each pair shows subtle variations in tone and shape, a natural result of hand-finishing the brass and the bone material.
The Story
In Kenya, brass and bone have long been paired in personal adornment, valued for how differently they catch light and hold a hand-worked edge: brass takes a hammer mark and a warm patina, while bone finishes smooth, cool, and pale. Combining the two in a single dangling form is part of a broader East African metalworking practice where jewelry doubles as portable craft, worn and traded piece by piece.
The tapered cone shape here is a simple, geometric one, but it is the kind of form that rewards hand-shaping over casting: each cone is worked individually, so its exact taper and the line where it meets the bone will vary slightly pair to pair. That variation is not a flaw in the design; it is evidence that a person, not a mold, made the decision on the metal in front of them.
A metalworker starts with a flat sheet of brass, cutting and hand-rolling it into a tapering cone that is soldered along its seam, then filed and buffed to bring up the warm patina visible on the surface. A separate piece of bone is shaped and polished to a smooth, rounded tip. The cone and bone drop are threaded and set together, then fitted to a hand-bent brass ear wire, so the entire earring passes through several hands and several small, deliberate steps before it's finished.
Craft & Materials
- Made In: Kenya
- Craft Tradition: Kenyan bone-and-brass metalwork
- Ideal For: Someone who wants an everyday earring with texture and a handmade edge, not shine
- Wear It With: Wear with simple necklines and pulled-back hair so the long, tapered line has room to show
- Purpose: Everyday wear, layering with other brass or mixed-metal jewelry, gifting
- Metal: Brass
Questions & Answers
What is the bone tip made from?
It's polished bone, paired with hand-shaped brass to form the tapered drop.
Will the color and shape match exactly between the two earrings?
Expect close, not identical: because each brass cone is hand-shaped and the bone is a natural material, small variations in tone and taper are normal and part of the handmade finish.
How should I clean them?
Wipe gently with a dry cloth only. Keep the earrings away from water, perfume, and lotions, which can dull the bone and the brass patina over time.
Are these lightweight enough for everyday wear?
Yes, the slim brass cone and bone drop keep the earring light despite its elongated, roughly 2-inch length.
Where are these earrings made?
They're hand-crafted in Kenya, using bone-and-brass techniques long practiced in the country's metalwork and adornment traditions.
