CRIS NOTTI JEWELS

There has been so much controversy of late on the Blackamoor and Blackamoor jewelry.

THE TRUTH

When Megan Markel meet the Royal Family Princess Margret of Kent was wearing a Blackamoor brooch.  Journalists and the press made a very loud statement that this was a racists brooch and it was worn to insult the future Princess but the history and truth about the Blackamoors is just the opposite.

In reality Princess Margret of Kent was honoring Megan Markel by wearing this brooch because Blackamoors brooches were prized by many and only affordable by those of means.  Where did these Blackamoors come from and why were they depicted in brooches and jewelry of this period?

WHO AND WHAT ARE BLACKAMOORS

Blackamoors came from Spain into Italy mostly Venice they were part of the merchant class and rich.  Think of Shakespeare’s Othello who was a Moorish military commander who was serving as a general of the Venetian army in defense of Cyprus against invasion by Ottoman Turks. These were proud and well-respected men and many of them were wealthy.

To honor these blackamoors from the mid 1800’s until the early 1900’s jewelry was fashioned. These jewels were highly prized and worn by people of means and money. In no way were they racist.  Now I am talking about Blackamoors NOT  the racist black face jewelry of the 20’s through the 1960’s in the USA which depicted enlarged features such as big lips and wild expressions, these are NOT Blackamoors.

WHERE DID IT START AND WHY

Blackamoor jewelry centered around Venice Italy beginning in the mid 1800 when Moors from Spain entered Venice and they became merchants.  Merchants were second in line to Royalty and they were often prized as such.  There was no discrimination of class or skin color at that time.  What we know now as discrimination because of skin color did not exist.  To say this jewelry is discriminatory is ridiculous and these Blackamoors are especially important to Venation’s and most of Italy.  Royalty, titled individuals, and the upper class wore these amazing works of art as a symbol of their wealth and status.

Ask yourself, why would people of means wear these jeweled masterpieces if they looked down on these Blackamoors as less than themselves?  They wouldn’t and they didn’t.

WHERE IS THE DISCRIMINATION

Now in the United States, Black Face memorabilia is considered racist as they depict Black people in the most unflattering way. We have all seen cookie jars, salt and pepper shakers, even jewelry made with Black faces with exaggerated features and shown as people lower class.  This is NOT the case of Antique Blackamoor jewelry.  Blackamoor jewelry is gorgeous beautiful and hand crafted with painstaking hours of handwork and jewels placed into the pieces. How could they be discriminatory when they show the most beautiful faces adorned with gemstones.

People of color should embrace these magnificent pieces as they show the history of black people in the most amazing favorable light. Rich merchants of means and class and regarded as such throughout history. Remember we are talking about the creation of Blackamoors in Venice Italy not in the States. In the States black face was and is discriminatory.