Pearl Books & Resources

[Richard W. Wise]

Don't forget Victor Berge, Pearl Diver
Louis Korntizer's Trade Winds
Alan Villier's Sons of Sinbad
These are all first person accounts of pearling in the South seas and off Bahrain.

I just got a copy of Streeter's Pearls & The Pearling Life. Its expensive, you will pay a lot of that muffler but the others can be had for under 50 bucks.

[Satine De La Courcel]

Hi Richard,

Thank you for those references! they are great! Isn't your copy of Streeter's Pearls and Pearling life an original print? If soluck duck! or did you find a re-print I know a company out of austrailia was going to re-print it, I have not heard aything about it in almost a year now.

Thankd again I will check into the other books.

Cheers
Ash

[Richard W. Wise]

Ashley,

My copy is a 1st edition in leather. Really lovely old book. Have been looking for one for about five years. Very scarce...

A reprint edition would be worth getting.

[Satine De La Courcel]

Hi All,

I just received a wonderful gift from my In-Laws... They Went to Scotland this summer for a month and brought back a book about pearl fishing... Its called

The River and the Road Journal of a Freshwater Pearl-fisher by Peter James Godwin. First edition 1985 ( not as impresive as richards leather bound Streeter book I admit..
It is just that a memior and journal. a fun and interesting read. names all the rivers he fished, what colors of pearls he found, how to tell if a mussel will have pearl in it.. all kinds of neat stuff.. it also describes the instruments he used... (gave me ideas on more stuff to research which is really cool! )

They found it in the Town of Ashby... Found that entertaining.....


Cheers
Ashby

[CortezPearls]

This thread will be kind of "reviving". Did not want to start a brand-new thread when this one will work fine

BTW: I am waiting for Pearlescence's book to arrive in the mail one of these days to give you a brief review that I will post here.

Today I want to share with you this book that I got back in December and I read it quite fast, but "things" happened, and I did not want to write much. This book is called "Putting on the Dog" by Melissa Kwasny. Interesting book because it talks about all the things we Humans use to wear as clothes and adornments: leathers, wool, silks, feathers, furs and -of course- PEARLS.
I actually found the chapters on Silk and Feathers to be remarkably interesting, but I would have wanted Melissa to include the use of pelican pelts by the Seri indians of the Sea of Cortez, but maybe it could have been too much.
The pearl chapter brought tears to my eyes...I sincerely was not expecting it: most of this chapter felt like a tribute to small pearl farmers. I was interviewed by Melissa years ago and I thought her focus was on the pearl producing techniques and I was happy to share with her, but I believe it ended up being more about ME, which makes me feel humbled and honored at the same time...and I also feel a bit like I did not deserve this (but, maybe I do). Would rather think this is about how small pearl farmers (thinking of Josh Humbert of Kamoka, or Kiyoshi Yonegushi of Kasumi Pearls, for instance) and how I believe they also share my same thoughts and emotions.
Anyway, I do recommend the book

[CortezPearls]

This is the link to the Book, on Amazon

[CathyKeshi]

Wow, that's an interesting book Douglas! Congratulations on your inclusion. But penguin pelts???

[CortezPearls]

Pelican Pelts Cathy
Yes, very weird...the reason the town I live in is named "Guaymas" is because the name derives from a Clan or Band of Seri Indians known as the "Pelican people" or "Guaimas" in their tongue.
I have this photo from the Seri Museum in Kino Bay of the last traditional chieftain of the guaimas people...still using a pelican pelt kilt.

[linda.wald]

That looks very interesting... thanks Douglas! I ordered a copy.

[CortezPearls]

Glad you did Linda
I'm sure you will enjoy it...there is a certain poetry in it.

[Lilpearl]

Thank you for sharing Douglas! I will order a copy! What an interesting choice to wear pelican skin as a kilt!

[CortezPearls]

These Seri wore the pelts with the feathers "inside" and the bird's leather outside. Guess they liked their garments soft-&-fluffy

[pattye]

Lol, Douglas, you did make me giggle with your description of the garment! Ordering the book right now!

[BWeaves]

OOO, that sounds interesting. I'm off to order it now. Thank you, Douglas.

[CathyKeshi]

Native peoples round the world used what resources were at hand, managing to make art wherever they were. While it's odd to us, routine to them, at least if you were a chief . I wondered where the feathers went; thanks for answering that Douglas; so interesting. And ... are there still penguins in Guaymas? Or did they trade for the pelts? I need to order that book.