eBAY Find – May 2010 UK - maireener shells

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SOLD: 4Bids Winning bid: £170.00 Approx AU $298.14

Clearly this necklace has been dyed and in most other respects bears the hallmarks of a commercially produced 'Hobart Necklace'. The presence of a clasp reinforces this but it is hard to tell from the photographs if this thread is still dyed as it seem s that these necklaces were dyed after stringing. Almost all the circumstantial evidence points to this necklace being a Hobart Necklace and it being quite unlikely for it to have had a Tasmanian Aboriginal maker as is suggested here.

Typically all these necklaces were assumed to be "Tasmanian Aboriginal Shell Necklaces" but now the evidence suggests that where there is no provenance to verify Aboriginal authenticity it is unsafe to assume Aboriginal authenticity albeit that it is made from Tasmanian maireener shells.

eBAY Find – May 2010 USA - non-maireener

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SOLD: US $66.00 – Approx. AU $77.86 – 6 BIDSThis entry is interesting in respect to it being evidence of the Tasmanian Aboriginal/palawa kani word "maireener" being used as an eBAY key word to attract buyers of iridescent/pearlescent shell necklaces. Here there is no claim that these shells are from Tasmania as has been the case in the past. Neither does the seller claim Aboriginal cultural production as some have.

Clearly, these shells have been dyed as some Tasmanian maireener shells necklaces made as a part of the colonial commercial production were. Indeed this necklaces production may well have been a part of the 'international trade' Hobart Necklaces were. It seems that many of the Tasmanian necklaces turned up in Hawaii and transmogrified into lei to satisfy the tourist trade's demand for shell lei – Hawaiian souvenirs cum cultural trophies. Something similar may be the case here.

The source of these necklaces using these shells is unclear but The Philippines is a prime candidate. Certainly these shells do not originate in Tasmanian waters.

NETWORK NOTE: These shells turn up frequently, and probably belong to the Trochidae mollusc family found anywhere in the Indo-Pacific – the ubiquitous "pearled trochus" shells that show up all over ebay. While they are most probably dyed albeit that some shell nacre can be naturally coloured – eg Tasmanian maireeners, the NZ paua shell and others. The difficulty in identifying these shells exactly is because all the exterior identifying characteristics have been stripped away. Numerous species of trochus shells have this same size and shape.

KC & LT

eBAY Find – May 2010 Canada - maireener

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This necklace is 1.8 metres long and one of the longer versions of this class of necklace. These shells appear to be naturally coloured iridescent maireener shell necklaces. It is a typical exemplar of the necklaces that are increasingly appearing on the international – Australia, USA & UK – 'antique' market. Most seem to turning up on eBAY and found via the Key Word "maireener".

eBAY Find – May 2010 UK–maireener

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There seems to be no evidence of dyes being used on this necklace to enhance the colour and/or iridescence of the shells. The fact that it has a clasp suggests that it is the product of commercial production or more likely to be so than it may be Aboriginal production. However, there are many ways it may have gained this clasp that does not preclude it from being of Aboriginal origin in Tasmania.

Circumstantially, the fact that this necklace turns up in the UK, and that it is short, and that it's clasp is of the kind that it is, all this in turn tends to suggest that it was commercially produced and exported to the UK sometime between the turn of the turn of the 20th C and WW2. An examination of the string may well enable a more specific dating.

Whatever, the necklace is an exemplar of the ambiguous maireener shell necklaces turning up on the international antique market.

Call For Shell Identification – maireeners??

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The image above was sent in to the network in search of identification "of a shell necklace I have acquired- it is very long and worn lariat style ... there is a close up of the shells - the necklace is made up of hundreds of these shells ... I have been told they are [Tasmanian] maireener shells ... would you be able to confirm this at all ... SD_P1020075 "

Clearly the owner here has been mislead and these shells ARE NOT remotely like any of the shells now being marketed on eBAY or anywhere else as 'Tasmanian maireener shells'. However it has been noted that 'maireener' is being used to describe a range of small iridescent shells – not always from Tasmania if at all – used to make necklaces. The shells that do qualify for being called maireener shells are identified here – click here. Given that these shells are not Tasmanian – and even unlikely to be Australian – we are not in a position to say what they actually are but there are network members who may be able to.

It is most important to remember that maireener shells are only iridescent if they have been cleaned – had their outer coating removed either chemically or physically.

If the owner bought these shells because they were maireeners shells, or even Tasmanian maireener shell, or worse still Tasmanian maireener shells in a Tasmanian Aboriginal made necklace they have been mislead. The word 'maireener' has become "the key word" for the necklaces that are recorded on this site.

It has been noted that 'maireener' has often been misused as a key word by eBAY sellers!

Well here is the information requested: "These are a prosobranch (gilled) landsnail. The Family is Helicinidae. Exact species is difficult to pin – they look alot alike – but likely genera are Helicina, Sulfurina, or Orobophana. There are many species in the West Indies and tropical Asia, including islands in the Pacific ... one species has been identified in Texas, USA. On eBay, sometimes they are listed as 'pikake' shells, which possibly is not accurate, either. Several "Hawaiian" necklaces contain these shells. Sometimes they are coated with a pearlized-looking paint to make them appear iridescent, but they do not contain any mother of pearl and are therefore incapable of being truly iridescent. They are kind of cute and string nicely." ... the knowledge bank grows.

eBAY Find – April 2010 UK - maireener shells

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These two necklaces turning up as they have together, and in the condition they seem to be in, offers an insight into the Tasmanian shell necklace trade. Given that to date an oral history that suggests Tasmanian Aboriginal makers regularly, or even at all, dyed their shell necklaces has not emerged in turn this indicated that these necklaces may well be commercially produced 'Hobart Necklaces'. Accepting that circumstantially these necklaces are indeed late 19th or 20th 'Hobart Necklaces' there are some interesting observations to be made.

The first being that looking at the examples of 'Bertie May Necklaces' the evidence here seems to point to his necklaces being more intensely, and less subtly, dyed than these necklaces. Given that May was known to be operating in Hobart Late 1940s >> 1960s in Hobart this tends to suggest that these necklace pre-date WW2.

Given Earnest Mawle's report on the shell necklace trade in Tasmania and the dying of maireener shells this tends to date these necklace before WW2. Also, Mawle talks about the disparate quality in shells harvested for 'the trade' and likewise given the evidence for this in regard to the shells turning up in the UK & USA it seems that there may well have been an incentive dye shell with less colourful iridescence. The shells here have clearly been dyed and similarly they may well have been from made using less colourful, whiter , shells – as likely as not 'harvested' on the Tasman Peninsular.

eBAY Find – May 2010 UK- maireener shells

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These shells appear to have been dyed which in turn suggests that they are a part of the 'Hobart Necklace' story. Thus far with the dyed – apparently dyed? – shells discovered online the quality of the dye process seems to vary considerably. The sure fire method of determining whether or not a necklace has be dyed is that threading will also be dyed.

That is not the case with "broken necklace" here but that is hardly surprising given that these necklaces are likely to have been restrung many times. The Mawle Report refers to these necklaces being dyed in some cases. Mawle also talks about the variety of quality in shells which in turn suggests that those with 'less disable colouration' were dyed.

eBAY Find – May 2010 USA - maireener shells

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This necklace is honestly described! Clearly the shells are maireener shells and circumstantial evidence for the necklace originating in Tasmania is convincing. The seller does not mention that this necklace may well be dyed or even may not be aware that some such necklaces were dyed with aniline dyes – this one appears as if it may have been to enhance its colouration.

It is clearly an example of the necklaces now known to be of ambiguous authenticity and as likely as not a 20th C exemplar – early to 1930s – of a Hobart Necklace. Given that this necklace is now in the USA it may well have found its way there via Hawaii.

eBAY Find – May 2010 UK- maireener shells

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This is an interesting necklace from a couple of perspectives. Firstly, it is typical of the ambiguous necklaces described as Hobart Necklaces and it almost equally could have made on the Furneax Islands by Tasmanian Aboriginal women. It is clearly Tasmaniana but given that so many of these necklaces are now appearing on the market the veracity of the claims of Aboriginal authenticity is open to challenge.

Many of these necklaces were dyed with aniline dyes and the older examples seemed to have been dyed more subtly/cleverly than those that have turned up and made post WW2. This necklace could well be an example of the older dyed Hobart Necklaces reported on by E. Mawle in 1918. It would be necessary to do a physical chemical test to verify that this necklace had been dyed.

eMAIL Alert: maireener shell necklace collection via eBAY & Western Australia

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JW6710, the eBAYER here, brings some special knowledge to this collection, namely qualifications and experience as a jewellery designer. The fact that she operates from an out of the way place says something about contemporary cultural production and the unlikely places eBAY reaches.

JW6710 has supplied these images of a sample of her collection not only as a demonstration of what can be found on eBAY but also the diversity of maireener shell necklaces. From all accounts these necklace come 'provenance free' and one assumes these items come to light via clearance sales, estate auctions and the like. Apparently they are kind of things that hang around in bottom drawers as memoirs of the past and far too precious to throw away – albeit that very often they are sold for very little.

NECKLACE # 6: The circumstantial evidence is that all of these shell necklaces are quintessentially Tasmaniana but their 'cultural context' is nonetheless ambiguous. All but #6 are typical of the maireener necklaces turning up that bear all the hallmarks of being 'Hobart Necklaces'. The #6 necklace is somewhat curious in that it is made using juvenile shells which in turn would mean that the effort in stringing is considerably more than 'the typical Hobart Necklaces'.

Extrapolated from this are the facts that given that commercially harvested shells were paid for by the quart they may well have been less attractive to harvest. Also, given the additional number of shells in a necklace they would be more time consuming to string. If payment for stringing was paid by the piece these necklaces may have been more expensive. Earnest Mawle's report 1918 makes no mention of the use of juvenile shells – this does not by necessity discount their use in Hobart Necklaces however.

In Launceston in the 1940s/50s maireener necklaces made with juvenile shells were available and circumstantially it seems that these necklaces were sourced in the Bass Strait Furneax Islands rather than Hobart – and say the Bertie May operation. Albeit speculative, there is a first hand reports of necklaces made with juvenile shells being purchased at Wonderland Brisbane St. Launceston 1940s and circumstantially these necklaces are most likely to be of Aboriginal production on the Furneax Islands.

Thank you JW6710 for sharing a part of your collection!

eMAIL Alert: maireener shell necklace via eBAY & Western Australia

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This necklace was bought via eBAY, from USA and it came with with no history or provenance. The owner trades on eBAY, lives in Western Australia and has inquired of some eBAY sellers who have said that "the GIs coming back from the islands WW2, bought back all sorts of shell necklaces with them."

The owner – a professional jeweller and collector of maireener shell necklaces – says that this necklace is dyed and that would make it consistent with the Mary Martin Necklaces circa 1900 to 1920s. Also, it may well be consistent with the necklaces that were exported to Hawaii from Tasmania around the turn of the 20th Century by the Martins.

This necklace may also have been made in Honolulu at the Martin's operation there using shells imported from Tasmania and local labour. The shells are clearly Tasmanian and given the paucity of concrete information and the growing number of options, the necklace is the quinessentual exemplar of the ambiguous maireener shell necklace. Here, Tasmanian Aboriginal production seems highly unlikely however.

Later necklaces were dyed but it seems that with the 'older examples' the dying was more subtle than with those made post WW2 in Tasmania. This example would appear to be older than post WW2 necklaces.

If this stringing is 'original' it is consistent with the kind of way some Hawaiian shell lei are strung and it may have been produced by the Martin family either in Hobart or Honolulu for the Hawaiian market.

eBAY Find – May 2010 UK

NOTE: This seller seems to be alert to the discourse relative to the the eBAY Key Words used to alert buyers to this class of necklace. Notably the necklace's 'cultural ambiguity' is acknowledged and "Aboriginal" does not appear in the description.

Found in Ottawa – Ambiguous Authenticity - maireener shells

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PROVENANCE INFORMATION: "As for this necklace - I rescued it from a bag of jewellery selling for $5 at a flea market this past weekend. This is the first shell necklace I've ever owned and it simply called out to me because if its vibrant colours ... The necklace is strung on what appears to be green cotton (two strands). There is no clasp. The shells are pierced with holes at the top for the thread to go through ... It measures 28 inches ... The shells are quite large - measuring on average between 8 to 10mm ... From what I've read it seems these might be on the larger size - but I'm really not sure .. The colour is shimmering and iridescent. I can't tell if the shells are dyed or not ... Several shells have damage - and some flaking and a few chipped off "end bits" ..." Pers. com _ AV Ottawa-6510

Note: This necklace is unlikely to have been dyed as it presents with strong colour and it seems that those of pale colour were the ones that were typically dyed. Pre WW2 it may have been the Martin family who dyed their shells and it seems they, or some other maker of that era, achieved a subtle result. Bertie May seemed to be the primary 'marketer/manufacturer' post WW2 and the evidence seems to point to his colouration being somewhat more brash.

HOBART NECKLACES – Ambiguous Authenticity - maireener shells

PROVENANCE INFORMATION: There are two necklaces here and they are both in a private collection – one is broken, one is complete. They were purchased from a jeweller’s shop in Criterion Street in Hobart about 20 years ago. They are possibly/probably two of the ‘wholesale’ Martin necklaces. The strings are at least 100 years old ... Source TMAG Hobart Pers Com ... The shells are almost certainly juvenile maireeners (Rainbow Kelp shells) Phasianotrochus irisodontes and typical of the shells coming to light in the USA and UK ...

NOTE: In the family of the owner of these necklaces there are two more necklaces where there is strong circumstantial evidence that in turn lends strong circumstantial provenance to those necklaces – not these – being of Tasmanian Aboriginal cultural production – NW Tasmania.

Found on eBAY: Seed & Shell Necklaces – South Aust.

fromj2u

These 2 necklaces are interesting in respect to the ambiguity that surrounds them and that they are submerged within. There is now clear evidence available that shows these so called "Tasmanian Apple Seed Necklaces" and other objects made from these seeds are in fact made from Ipil-ipil seeds and in almost all cases, made in The Philippines and NOT Tasmania. Clearly the seller here was unsure and was relying upon the understanding prevailing in Tasmania until recently and they were questioning that understanding by including ?marks in the keyword description.

The shell necklace is something else. It is unlikely to be Tasmanian but it will be possible to identify the shells and locate their areas of distribution. If it turns out that they are Tasmainan this necklace may provide a clue to the dimension and nature of commercial shell jewellery production in Tasmania late 19th C until the mid 20th C. There is every likelihood that it is an aberration. Again. the seller was not attempting to deceive and was questioning their interpretation with a ?mark.

These necklaces were purchased by the network 1st time around.
The sale was cancelled and the items were
relisted with a better outcome for the seller
the 2nd time around