[J Marcus]

Here's a mans' pendant made up in sort of a Hawaiian style, archaic, fish-hook made of fossil walrus ivory and carved by Ken Fredricks. I modified it to hold one of my small abalone mabe's for bait. It hangs from a 14K white gold jump ring secured with artifucial siniew. The beads, also by Ken Fredericks, are fossil walrus ivory as well. The leather necklace is a design that I developed years ago. One end is attatched to the other with a simple overhand slip knot and is completely adjustable. The beads on both tag ends are meant to hang down to the front on either side of the pendant. It's off to New Zealand this afternoon!

Marc
http://www.flyrodjewelry.com/home. html

[pattye]

Marc,
Very eye-"catching", to say the least!!

We'll expect a full report on NZ, too! Have a great trip!

[Ashley]

Lol- I'm "hooked"!

[knotty panda]

Do I hear the faint cries of "model! model!" in the background? Why yes I do!

[J Marcus]

Whoop! Hey! There--I think I've got a bite already! I wonder what this bait might catch? An Ashley? Hmmm. . . I wonder what kind of fish that is?!?!? A lovely specimen, I'm sure!

Model you say? You want to see it on some grizzled manly chest? Ah well. . . If I must, then I must. Keep this station tuned in!

Oh, by the way, alas--'tis not me that goes to NZ. Only the baited hook! (sniffle)

Marc
http://www.flyrodjewelry.com/home.html

[GemGeek]

Oh bummer! I thought you were heading off to New Zealand. I was so jealous and now I'm disappointed for you. Great necklace!

[J Marcus]

Herrre it 'tis in all it's grrreat glorrry! I've used mye fyne and close perrrsonal frrriend, ane Caberrr McTippet as mye model--a gent of uncairrrtain charrracterrr, temperrrment an' lineage, though he claims ta be ane Scottsman, dinna ye ken? (see avatarrr. . .) No tellin' therrre!

Blaire: Yes lass--'tis sad ta say. I dinna get ta goo ta the land o' the kiwi! Someday, perrrhaps. . .

Marc
http://www.flyrodjewelry.com/home.html

[GemGeek]

That's hot!

[john675]

Great piece, Marc - I like it a lot! It's very cool with the end ivory beads on the leather strap, giving it a lot of character.
Great job!

[Heidi]

Awesome manly necklace. I love the integration of materials - this just has great presence!

[pattye]

That's hot!

Yes, I totally agree, Blaire!

[Nerida]

Looks fantastic Marc!! Thank your, errr, friend for modelling for us!

[barbie biggs]

Marcus:
That hook and bait are the best! Wish I could get something like that for my hubby. Looks great next to that Aloha shirt. Creates a nice ambience. Manly, devil may care, strong, but, laid back.

[laurenb]

Oooh.. very nice take on the hei matau. I can think of a few other traditional Maori designs that would accept pearls well... perhaps the sympatico stems from the marine/coastal nature of the folk culture.

The double koru on the bottom at the right would make a brilliant setting.

I can think of several ways pearls could be incorporated into Manaia, beyond the shell insets used for eyes. Twists too.

Met a few NZ kids at a competition in middle school. They were trading carved pendants and ever since, I've looked up the pendants every few years and window-shopped. A few months ago, I saw somebody wearing one and asked if he was Maori. He was really overcome with emotion that a random North American brought it up. Some Maori fear their culture is being commercialized and forgotten, so if you ever see a Maori-ish sort wearing one, consider asking them about it. Not sure about the scope of the problem, but one might be gentle if mentioning Hawaii. Cross-migration melded Pacific cultures quite a bit of course, but the only Maori I've ever spoken to at length lost several family members to racial hate-crime in Hawaii and he's not even 40.

[J Marcus]

Originally Posted by barbie biggs

Marcus:
That hook and bait are the best! Wish I could get something like that for my hubby. Looks great next to that Aloha shirt. Creates a nice ambience. Manly, devil may care, strong, but, laid back.

Why thank you Barbie! What a nice thing to read! ...and of course--you've caught my ambience exactly. . . Just ask anyone who knows me. . . uh--well, not her... or her... heh, heh, heh.. . . . . . .

We-e-e-l-l. . . perhaps (as it were) coming soon (maybe) to a website near--uh--cyberspace. . . ?

I have a couple more of Ken's fish hook carvings that I'm planning to do something with--as soon as I can get to it. I've even been playing with the idea of carving some fossil ivory (Mammoth and/or Walrus) hooks based on traditional atlantic salmon fly hook designs--with a bit of artistic license, of course. Wha' mannerrr o' fyshey do ye ken ane myte catch wi' sae certaine aye lure?

Marc
http://www.flyrodjewelry.com/home.html