Three Tibetan gold damascened iron belt ornaments. 17th/18th century And Tibetan brass belt-buckle
Three Tibetan gold damascened iron belt ornaments finely executed with dragons writhing through scrolls in openwork. 17th/18th century. The brass belt-buckle with dragons in open scrollwork later. (4)
Length of belt ornaments 8.2 and 10 cm
Private collection Johan (1925-2003) and Ursula Strebel
Johann Strebel was born in Hamburg in February 1925, the son of Dr. Otto Strebel, director of the Hemmoor cement factory. In 1951 the qualified cement retailer married Ursula Oschewski (b. 1.9.1925), daughter of the goldsmith Kurt Olschewski who ran a jewellery business under the same name in Wiesbaden. In 1954 the jewellery business in Wilhelmstrasse changed its name to Strebel-Olschewski.
By procuring precious stones for the jeweler's shop, Johann and Ulla Strebel developed a fascination for Asian cultures and acquired valuable works of art on their many travels throughout Asia between 1955 and 1980, a time when travel in these countries was particularly arduous and uncomfortable.
Asian works of art were sold alongside the jewellery in the shop, but the couple also built up a private collection, with a wide cultural interest ranging from Tibet through South East Asia to Japan.