Lot 11
Near East, Arabian Peninsula, Qatar / Kingdom of Bahrain, ca. 19th to mid-20th century CE. This wood and brass chest stored the tools for a pearl diver; included is a balance scale, wood and iron shucking knife, brass grading cups, 10 stiff leather finger covers to protect against sharp coral and shells, a nose clip carved from horn, and 4 shells. The brass sifting cups have circular piercings to let pearls of a certain grade pass through. These chests also protected the pearls; the lid locks in place, and the functional key is included. There are multiple compartments with lids, and the center tray is removable. Only mollusk shells lined with nacre (mother-of-pearl) produce pearls, such as marine oysters and abalone - both types are included here, the large oysters likely of the Pinctada genus. Size of chest: 23.75" L x 13.75" W x 12" H (60.3 cm x 34.9 cm x 30.5 cm); largest bowl: 4.25" Diameter x 1.3" H (10.8 cm x 3.3 cm)
The Arabian Peninsula's pearl industry dates back thousands of years, with its pearls renowned for their exceptional quality and becoming a vital part of the coastal region's economy and cultural heritage. At its peak in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the countries of Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, were a global center for pearl markets, employing thousands of divers and traders. Pearl divers practiced free diving to harvest pearls from the sea, without any breathing or seeing apparatus, relying on their skill and lung capacity to reach depths of up to 98 feet (30 meters!) The practice was highly dangerous and physically demanding, but the traders that employed the divers often took the greater cut of profits. Pearl diving declined after the introduction of Japanese cultured pearls in the 1930s and the rise of the oil industry.
Provenance: private Aurora, Colorado, USA collection, acquired in 1986, Kingdom of Bahrain.
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#188139
- Condition: Chest locks and key is included. Green patina and wear to brass tools, especially the cups. Stains to leather finger covers from use. Overall great condition of items. The tools may have been collected individually to demonstrate the common equipment used. Chest has some scuffs and abrasions to wood from use, but overall great condition. Nickel-brass ring pulls were added to some interior lids at a later time.
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