All of the pieces in this case are attributed to Teke workmanship and feature openwork decoration. To achieve the openwork design, craftsman cut through the silver sheet with a chisel or fret saw. Whether backed with fabric in a contrasting color or left without a backing, the openwork ornament lends these pieces a sense of dynamic movement. Using relatively few motifs—the trefoil, S-shape, stylized ram's head, and interlaced arabesque—the craftsmen produced a remarkable range of decoration for their jewelry and furnishings.
