Found on eBAY: Shell Necklace – USA

INFORMATION CHECK:

"Antique .. circa 1910": Possibly but could be much later ... " Tasmanian Aboriginal": Almost certainly not ... most likely somewhere tropical ... Hawaii? ... The Philippines? ... " maireener shell necklace": Certainly not ... "color and lustre natural": Quite likely ... Reference to this type of shell necklace on THIS LINK has been misinterpreted.

There are so many inconsistencies here yet in some ways the misreadings made outside the cultural context within which a cultural product belongs are forever likely. It is even happening in Tasmania but the 'misreadings' come with very local imperatives to do with complex issues.

The somewhat curious thing with this offering is the use of the word "maireener" and its currency on eBAY. The evidence is beginning to stack up for this being "a convenient truth". Why? What is so convenient? Albeit convenient, if that is what is reflected here, the paucity of research behind the word's use is starting to look like it is something other than curious.

Found on eBAY_ Santa Cruz USA

Interestingly this necklace is not being described as being "Aboriginal". Nonetheless, The Companion To Tasmanian History written by Patsy Cameron, a Tasmanian Aboriginal Elder, is quoted to suggest that it may be – as it could be if there were any provenance to support that idea.

The seller has been contacted via eBAY and we await further information about the necklace and any provenance information that may be available. Here are some extracts from the response ..."Thank you for the information on the necklaces, I have learned so much after posting them on Ebay ... I have an antique & jewelry shop ... I was at a local auction and the necklaces were in a bag of jewelry I was bidding on. I love shells myself and I thought these were striking, they are so fluid and beautifully strung. I hope I have not misrepresented the necklaces as being Aboriginal, I had done some research on line, and a couple of my customers who are collectors thought they were."

This it seems this is consistent with the experience of many eBAY sellers especially those living outside Australia. Given that Tasmanian Shell Necklaces have "Icon Heritage Status" if made by Indigenous Tasmanians it is likely that more will come onto the market. Some unscrupulous sellers may even claim that their necklaces are indeed made by a Tasmanian Aboriginal maker. It may well have been BUT there seems that there is no reliable way of knowing this (well not yet) unless the provenance to support the claim is impeccable. The search continues.

INTERNET FIND – Tasmanian Maireener Shell Necklaces

LEFT NECKLACE: The seller described this necklace as being an "Antique Aboriginal Tasmanian Maireener Shell Necklace ... Lustrous. ... Irridescent Neon Opal Grey Pink Shells. circa early 1900s. Measures 48 in. Length. Tiny Shells measure 1/4 in. each. Overall preserved nicely few shells have holes"

RIGHT NECKLACE: The seller described this necklace as being an "Antique Aboriginal Tasmanian Maireener Shell Necklace ... very old lustrous irridescent green, blue shell, from around 1900 ... Measures 70 inch length ... Tiny shells measure 1/4 in. each ... Condition very good except for a few shells have some holes ... a very beautiful piece"

AN OBSERVATION: It is interesting how it seems that these necklaces seem to be coming to light via the USA – Hawaii ? – and sometime in the context of them being described as a ‘lei’ and the ‘acquisition’ of a lei as “ the getting of my shells”. There seems to be some connecting points here between ‘Hawaiian traditions’ leis and maireener shells – and possiblly between the Martin family's branch enterprise in Honolulu as well(?).

NOT MAIREENERS – Leis From Hawaii

Clearly these shells are NOT Tasmanian 'maireener' shells albeit that they are described as such. Nevertheless, they are a part of an important indigenous Hawaiian cultural practice which in many ways parallels Tasmanian shell necklace making.

The "HAWAIIAN" cum "TASMANIAN MAIREENER SHELL" lei/necklace confusion is perhaps understandable but here it might be more to do with 'catching a buyer' than being correct. However, many 'traditional leis' including shells like these continue to command prices exceeding top end Tasmanian shell necklaces – Aboriginal production or non-Aboriginal production.

NB: the pink necklace is almost certainly dyed

CLICK HERE FOR A LINK ON LEI MAKING

Found via eBAY _ Maireener necklace in the USA

Click on an image to enlarge

Click on an image to enlarge

It is truly amazing that this necklace has turned up in the USA. In Tasmania they have been regarded as being rare albeit that Aboriginal women are making them again but not in large numbers.

As will be noted from earlier posts there is the possibility that necklaces like this one were made in quite large numbers in Tasmania by non-Aboriginal makers from the late 1870s. and up until the 1950s(?).

Evidence is beginning to appear that suggests that some of these necklaces were being exported and that either shells or necklaces or both were being exported to Hawaii early in 20th Century.

Watch this space for developments.