ON eBAY May 2011: "Antique Tasmanian Maireener Shell Aboriginal Necklace"

SELLER'S DESCRIPTION: Item N0. 380338511035

"Antique 1900s Tasmanian Maireener Shell Aboriginal Necklace Purple

This wonderful Guaranteed Antique 1900s Tasmanian Maireener Shell Aboriginal Necklace in the rare Purple Iridescent colour is a brilliant example of such shell necklaces. The shells are a wonderful lustrous iridescent purple colour and are in exquisite condition with only a very few missing their points. The shells are well strung on a fine purple silk string and measure 42 cm (overall 168 cm if a single line).

Unfortunately my pictures do not capture the beautiful iridescent glow of these shells. I am loathe to sell this piece but believe it should be in the hands of a real collector for its colour rarity and age.

Please study the array of photos as they are part of the description and ?show the wonderful condition, patina and character better than I can ?explain. Measures: 42 cm long (quadrupled) and 188 cm (single line), shell size approximately 1cm Weight: 35 grams."

SELLER'S DESCRIPTION: Item N0. 380338515166

"Antique 1850s Tasmanian Maireener Shell Aboriginal Necklace Green


This wonderful Guaranteed Antique 1850s Tasmanian Maireener Shell Aboriginal Necklace in the rare Green Mauve Iridescent colour is a brilliant example of such shell necklaces. The shells are the finest and smallest shells I have seen in these type of necklaces and are a wonderful lustrous iridescent green and mauve colour and are in exquisite condition with none missing their points. The shells are well strung on a fine white silk string and measure 62 cm (overall 122cm if a single line).

Unfortunately my pictures do not capture the beautiful iridescent glow of these shells.
I am loathe to sell this piece but believe it should be in the hands of a real collector for its colour rarity and age.

Please study the array of photos as they are part of the description and ?show the wonderful condition, patina and character better than I can ?explain. Measures: 87 cm long (doubled) and 174 cm (single line) shell size approximately 0.3 - 0.5cm Weight: 10 grams"

The seller has not provided, or offered to provide, any evidence that these necklaces are of Tasmanian Aboriginal cultural production. Without such evidence these necklaces cannot be automatically assumed to be "Aboriginal" as claimed in the description.

Sellers who claim "Aboriginality" for these necklaces seem to be attempting to cash in on the premium contemporary Tasmanian Aboriginal makers are winning for their necklaces. If they are indeed Aboriginal cultural products there needs to be evidence/provenance to support the claim.

So buyers looking for Aboriginal cultural production should beware. For more information go to:

• Website # 1: http://tasmanianshellnecklaceresearch.blogspot.com/
• Website # 2: http://qvmagstrunghistories.blogspot.com/
• Website # 3: http://truganininecklaces.blogspot.com/

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

Found on eBAY: Shell Necklaces – Adelaide Aus

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Winning Bid: AU $175.50 13Bids
eBAY#: 260591976842CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Winning Bid AU$233.50 29Bids
eBAY #: 260591981036These three listings on eBAY are more interesting together than individually. Looking at the use of the word "maireener" first it seems to be used to invoke 'Aboriginality' but it also seems to have entered the lexicon with the implied meaning 'small irridecent shell for necklace making'.

There is little doubt the true maireener shells did indeed come from Tasmania given that these shells were harvested commercially in Tasmania in the later part of the 19th C up until approx 1960. It is now known that this was not part of the Tasmanian Aboriginal people's cultural production at that time – albeit that they did make shell necklace mimicked by the commercial producers harvesting these shells.

The likelihood of any of these necklaces being made by a Tasmanian Aboriginal maker is very slim. The necklace described a being made of "natural" shell – eBAY #: 260591981036 – may predate the one described as being dyed – this necklace appears to have been dyed also albit more subtly. The former could POSSIBLY have been made by the Martin family's Hobart/Honolulu operation anytime up until circa 1930s. The dyed necklace may have been made by the Bertie May operation in Hobart 1940s >>1960s – eBAY#: 260591976842.

Both could be described as classic Hobart Necklaces.

The necklace with glass beads is quite unlikely to have been of Tasmanian origin EXCEPT in the case that it was made in Tasmania from imported materials and it is known that tropical shells were being imported into Tasmania for the purposes of "shell craft" around the turn of the 20th C – the shells appear to be tropical. Likewise it is highly unlikely that Aboriginal makers had anything to do with this necklace.

Therefore the authenticity of these necklaces must be regarded as being quite ambiguous.

Found on eBAY: Ambiguous Authentication - maireener shells

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