Shell Necklaces – Theft & Cultural Appropriation

This story in the Hobart Mercury in 1908 is unlikely in one sense yet it brings a rather unexpected dimension to the Hobart Necklace story in another. The first thing about the case that seems a little surprising is the number shell necklaces involved – "more than 100 dozen". By itself this is an indication of the potential size of the commercial shell necklace 'industry' that seems was operating out of Hobart in the late 19th Century, early 20th Century. At the time Tasmania's population was something less than 200,000 people and Hobart's population was less than 40,000. While it seems that M M Martin of Cascade Rd. Hobart & Honolulu were running a substantial enterprise exporting necklaces from Tasmania to "Australasia" and abroad – Honolulu at least. This Supreme Court Case seems to suggest that apart from the Martin enterprise there may well have been two additional operations capable of producing a similar number of necklaces – . Earnest Mawle's report of 1918 implies that there was an industry operating in the Hobart region and his report needed to have been informed by a member(s?) of 'the industry'.

The court case identifies the owner (exporter?) of shell necklaces as "Paget" and there is a reference to "Fisher of Reserche" which suggests that the Martin enterprise had competition. In any event the size of the robbery alone gives some indication of the size of the industry. After that Mawle's report gives the impression that shell necklace making was acknowledged as an industry of a kind albeit that its scale is somewhat hard to estimate.

The estimated value of the "100 dozen shell necklaces stolen" (£71/-/- seventy one pounds) provides some additional clues – approx. £0/1/2 each. This would seem to be wholesale vale considering that in 1905 the Technological Museum in Sydney paid £0/2/6 for a single long necklace – more than double. "The wage for unskilled labourers [1907] was set at seven shillings a day (up from six), with an extra allowance for overtime – LINK."

By any measure the industry could not be regarded as lucrative based on these numbers. At the same time given Tasmania's and Hobart's population at the time it does not appear to be insubstantial. It now seems that a great many shell necklaces were being produced in Tasmania as a part of this industry that relatively little is known about.

Found On The Internet – Tasmanian Authenticity

Yet again AUTHENTICITY arises and yes the shells are:

• maireener, Rainbow Kelp, Phasianotrochus irisodontes, shells;
• the shells are relatively mature shells;
• most probably from Tasmanian waters;
• natural shells found in Tasmanian waters – BUT this necklace has most likely been dyed albeit not definitely assessable unless a physical inspection was possible;
• used by Aboriginal necklace makers in Tasmania – BUT this necklace may well not be authentically Aboriginal as this was not commonly done by these makers if at all ;
• typical of the kind of necklace known as 'Hobart Neckclaces';
• typical of the kind shells found in necklaces thought to have been made by Bertie May or even M M Martin – both non-Aboriginal makers Martins, 1875 to 1930s?, Bertie May, late 1940s - 1960s? and Bertie May was known to dye his necklaces.
  

For notes on Aboriginal shell necklace making in Tasmania – CLICK HERE

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Maireener Shells

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USA SELLER'S NOTES: [She has had 10 shell necklaces] .... "all were maireener shells and I think ... to be very clear about how I came to posses so many is, I go through hundreds of pieces of jewelry every week which boils down to thousands of pieces a month so considering I have so much and it took me almost 10 years to acquire the ones I had makes them extremely scarce. I found one in a second hand store, two at local antique vendor sales, one at an auction and the rest were from various estate sales. Most of the people selling them here have no idea what they are just as I didn't. Not all the necklaces were exactly the same, some of the shells were an opalescent white color and one had a very light red or pink tint but all the rest were more of a green. The lengths were different as well, some were very long over 60" and some were much shorter. Not all were purchased by [the Tasmanian buyer], she bought 3 of them. Some of the others were sold to Australian buyers and the rest stayed here in the states."

The shells that the seller says were "light red or pink tint" may have been necklaces originating from 'The Martins' – either direct from Hobart or via Honolulu – or another maker of 'Hobart Necklaces' and dyed with aniline dye – click here – NB: More distinctly dyed examples exist in a Tasmanian collection.

Also, Aboriginal makers' use of dyes at a similar time to the Martins et al – Butterfield? – click here – cannot be discounted.

Somewhat curiously "maireener" – albeit spelt variously but not usually 'marina' – has entered the eBay lexicon to describe these shells no matter where they are in the world. Sellers are typically researching on the internet it seems and picking up Tasmanian site and site where contemporary Aboriginal makers are selling their necklaces.