What kind of pearls are those ? Native american "treasure" ?

[FrenchPearl]

Hello Pearl Experts,

I think I stumble upon an old natural pearls "treasure" . Could you help me identify if those are indeed natural pearls and which shells they come from ?
I only have the pictures from the seller - meant to take new pictures with natural light, but the sun is shy in my region - (and I could not wait to get your opinions).

I bought this lot on ebay as a "Antique Native American beads and fetishes" , and guessed that those little balls were actually pearls. I did the tooth test and they are all gritty.

From reading this forum, my uneducated guess is that the little white one might be an America freshwater, the little brown striped one might be a scallop, the silver and 2 brown some type of oyster pearls, no idea on the "conglomerated" ones, and the damaged one...well too damaged to even make a guess.

What do you think ? the fact that actual beads (bones, coral and small plastic ones) were in the same lot evoked in me a romantic vision of a tribe treasure, gathered over the years from the trade between tribes from the Pacific to the Atlantic via Mississippi or Tennessee.... (I like stories

I'm hoping to post dimensions and new pictures over the week-end when the sun comes out (hopefully).

Best,
Sophie

 

[Caitlin]

Yikes! What a find! here's a few more exclamation marks: !!!!!!!!!!!


There's one that looks like an anatomical heart! ( I love anatomical hearts) I can hardly wait to see these one by one.

 

[FrenchPearl]

Here is the last picture with the item / artifact you refer too. Did not post it earlier because I have zero clue on what it is. It looks like lava, but it's actually very very smooth to the touch.... my first crazy thought was that it was a meteorite fragment (I also have a vivid imagination .

 

[Caitlin]

My guess is lava. I hope it didn't come from Pele! Could be Mt St helens? I got some of that lava and it was a gritty dust.

Meteorites are very dense metallic stuff- everything else burns away on entry. CliClasp has/had some pieces from one in Russia or Siberia? Mine came with a certification and number.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

What an unusual collection!

A few of the pieces appear to be natural pearls. One pearl attached to a shell, another conjunction and some rounds.

I think your first assessment is reasonable, as the whites appear to be from freshwater mussels and at least two of the three are likely from pectinidae. There are hundreds of scallops in that family. These could have come from anywhere. This collection is old, but not very old. The heart pearl is machine cut, as are the beads. The small beaded mat is coming apart. It is difficult to determine the thread. Older, more collectable pieces of first nations beadwork are made with woven sinew.


Individually, each pearl might fetch some some value, but I think the real value is the collection itself on the whole. Many native collections, costumes, masks etc. were fashioned from mere trinkets, but were highly revered for their cultural significance or representation. "Wampum" is just money or a token of wealth, but was very often represented by pearls or dentalium (a very rare tusk-like shell). Although this collection is small and does not contain dentalium, it was likely owned by significant elder, nonetheless.

A nice collection and a nice story. Thank you for sharing it with us.

 

[Bodecia]

The pretty, large pink pearl looks like an American River pearl. Seen similar before, although I don't think as large as that one. I think it could be valuable. Would make a great pendant piece.

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[FrenchPearl]

Thank you all for your answers,
It's so very cool to see that my hunch is confirmed and discover even much more !

@LagoonIsland: I agree it's not very old. The vendor labeled it as an early 19th century collection. It's so clever to estimate the date based on the machine cut beads. That would date it what ? late 19th ? early 20th ? Assuming they all belong to the same original owner elder, some pearls could also be older than others.
Interestingly, the vendor is based in the UK and seems to specialize in re-selling entire collections by lots. I contacted him yesterday to check if he had other lots, but that was it.
I agree with you that the interest of this collection resides in the cultural aspect of it, and should not be separated.
I really like the idea that the collection came back home in America, and that I'm the keeper of the "treasure" for the moment.

@ Caitlin: I did a magnet test, definitely not a meteorite look very much like lava stone seen in lava stone jewelry.
@Bodecia: Yes, the pink pearl would make a superb pendant ! I'm not much a jewelry girl though . Duly noted that it could be an American river pearl. it measure approx. 1.3 cm X 0.9 (not measuring the shell)

For now my job is to try to catalog it (including the beads and lava stone) as much as I can and I really appreciate your help in doing so.

Today the sun is playing hide and seek in Seattle, so no chance to take pictures. Hopefully tomorrow.

Best Regards
Sophie

 

[pattye]

Sophie,

Amazing collection! Thanks so much for sharing! Please do let us know if/when you have new information.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Thank you all for your answers,
It's so very cool to see that my hunch is confirmed and discover even much more !

@LagoonIsland: I agree it's not very old. The vendor labeled it as an early 19th century collection. It's so clever to estimate the date based on the machine cut beads. That would date it what ? late 19th ? early 20th ? Assuming they all belong to the same original owner elder, some pearls could also be older than others.
Interestingly, the vendor is based in the UK and seems to specialize in re-selling entire collections by lots. I contacted him yesterday to check if he had other lots, but that was it.
I agree with you that the interest of this collection resides in the cultural aspect of it, and should not be separated.
I really like the idea that the collection came back home in America, and that I'm the keeper of the "treasure" for the moment.

Early to mid 20th. Too early in the 20th would almost certainly mean the elder would have been buried with their wealth. It's only in more recent times with estates, probate and funerals when collections like these were handed down instead. One always must be wary of unauthorized removal from burial sites. Given that the beaded work is relatively intact (despite some damage along one edge) and the relative cleanliness of the lot overall, it's pretty safe to say it's not been underground. Sometimes burial artifacts appear on the market from our coast. I have some myself, that were authorized and catalogued during the installation of new sewer and water infrastructure at a local reserve. Needless to say, that was quite the dig!

I'm glad you have an appreciation for this lot by bringing it home.

 

[Caitlin]

How about a macro shot of the little strand? I agree with Dave, I think everything could be 1950's-90's. Did he mention the tribe? Elders always come from a tribe. No serious collector/seller would fail to mention the tribe.

I grew up on the Navajo Rez, and my trinket box has old Lakota Medicine bag, old beadwork, and oddities I picked up.

Your lot could have been collected by another hippie like me from 1968-1978 when Native American was very "in" and later. I am of elder age right now. Maybe I should pack up a couple of little collections. wink. The pearls are most unusual. I am unaware of any tribe trading pearls in 19th century to recent history. That little collection was from someone who deliberately collected pearls. I checked out Kunz, the Book of the Pearl and other than freshwatera, the only pearls he mentions with trade value in the USA up until 1906 when the book came out, are conchs and abalone. That big pearl is probably Mississippi river, unless it was collected in the last 10 ten years. During the Hippie era was when people started collecting worthless pearls that are now worth fortunes. So I really really want to see the little ones up close.

The strip of beadwork is no great shakes. It is woven as a strip, probably on a store bought loom of which I had several and has no intrinsic meaning. It may even be machine made. The beads are low grade and most likely 20th century. It looks like tourist beadwork at the best. Ebay only has machine made in China Native stuff listed today and they pass it off as genuine. It was most likely made in Formosa.

If you want to see authentic NA beadwork, check out this page of google images. Your lot is in there and stands out for the poor quality of the beadwork.
https://www.google.com/search?q=19t...EAD-FETISH-COLLECTION-%2F360593421883;480;640


Nevertheless, you got one heck of a deal for the pounds!!! That lot was worth hundreds of $$$. I would like to see the little pearls up close, cause that can date it better than any of the other stuff. The seller was entirely clueless!! Lucky you.

 

[Caitlin]

I do not recognize the carved beads as anything remotely related to Native American bone beads. Google the images, of NA bone beads yourself. I don't know what yours are, but I don't recognize them at all. I am somewhat interested in these things since the 1950's and majored in Native American cultures in college (anthropology). I am not an expert, just well informed.

This offering on eBay is manufactured schlock.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Bea...126?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item589d5d090e

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

I always liked this shot of a Lakota boy with dentalium and pearls, although they are likely just beads.

Though a little off topic, dentalium are highly revered among most North American first nations. These tubular mollusks range in very limited areas. I had the opportunity to see this habitat during my geoduck diving days and could easily understand how difficult they were to harvest traditionally. Native fishermen would have gathered no more than a few pieces on each expedition.

Like natural pearls, beadwork and carvings... authentic dentailium shells are highly collectible, especially in traditional pieces.

 

[Caitlin]

One can buy dentalium shells in bead shops and Pow Wow shops. That same style is also done with hollow tube bones.

 

[FrenchPearl]

@Caitlin: Here is the strand of little whites.... they look to me as beads....



The seller is decidedly an enigma !! From this image, it looks like a piece of the matt I bought could come from a bigger one....
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy9/Entrepreneur1/BestmoneyNo1/CollectorLaunch115174.jpg

And the carved bone beads could be fake...

@LagoonIslands. Thanks for the picture. I'm always touched by those pictures from another time, particularly the E. Curtis photos

More photos soon
Best,
Sophie

 

[FrenchPearl]

Taking pictures of pearls was more challenging than anticipated... Here are the results... There are a lot of pics so I'll probably do several posts.
I appreciate all your expert opinions to try to identify the shells these pearls could come from.
Thanks in advance !!
FrenchPearl

#1 - Heart Pearl. Dim:1.3 X 0.9 cm


#2 - Silver Pearl. Dim: 0.6 X 0.5 cm. The picture does not do justice to this one. The color is very pretty silver bluish. There is a spot on one side (visible on pic #2)


#3 - Stripped Pearl. Dim: 0.5X0.3 cm . This one is dark brown with 4 regular whitish stripes around.

 

[FrenchPearl]

#4 Gold-Brown Pearl. Dim: 0.6X 0.6 cm . This one has luster only on the top part. the rest is mate brown with a whitish flat bottom. Not sure how to describe bottom spot. It's like a "?clat".


#5 Beige Pearl. Dim:0.6 X0.4 cm. Beige mate color with some small dark spots. more like a button than a round. 1 "crack" visible on pic 3


#6 Cracked Pearl. Dim: 0.8 X 0.7 cm. This one is badly damaged . with the kernel (conchiolite ?) appearing. The color is white and dark brown.

 

[Caitlin]

Thank you for this treasure of photos. I think that may be "barreling" on the strand. If so, we have had the discussion that that kind of barreling happens to heavily worn akoyas. I am too dizted to look it up for you. Hopfully the ones who know will come comment.

 

[FrenchPearl]

#7 Tooth Pearl. dim:0.5X0.5 cm . shaped like a child tooth. very nice luster that's difficult to capture. 1 crack on one side.


#8 Conjuncted pearls. Dim:0.5 X 0.6 X 0.7 cm. (not measuring the shell). triangle shape. White with a brown area.


This is it for the pearls !!

FrenchPearl

 

[Marianne]

What a priceless collection. Wonderful photos too! Thank you for sharing

 

[pattye]

French Pearl,

Those are fascinating. There isn't a way to tell what kind of shell they came from, as far as I know. Thank you so much for posting the additional photos!