Description:

Micronesia, Yap Island, ca. 19th to early 20th century CE. A beautiful example of a large, nearly flat pearl shell used as a dowry, with three diminutive bonnet shells attached at the top. A thick woven cord made of wrapped coconut fiber forms a handle at the top of the shell. The shell sparkles with beautiful pearlescence. The Yapese are most famous for their enormous stone money, called rai, some of it taller than a standing person - but for practical purposes, rai rarely exchanged hands. Instead, in traditional Yap culture, they exchanged pearl shells like this one for many things, including as a dowry. Size: 3.95" W x 15.75" H (10 cm x 40 cm); 17.25" H (43.8 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private Hurst collection, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

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#148291

  • Condition: Light deposits on surface with a few tiny chips from edges. Woven fiber is in nice condition.

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January 30, 2020 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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