Fijian Engraved Sperm Whale Tooth with Plaited Neck Band

Fijian engraved presentation sperm whale tooth (tabua). with a…
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Fijian engraved presentation sperm whale tooth (tabua). with a plaited fibre sennit neck band, highly significant object in traditional Fijian society, said to be the greatest of all Fijian valuables, 19th century. Lot 313 McKenzies Auctioneers 6/12/2011. Length 21 cm (tooth) & 45 cm (chain). Provenance: The grandaughter of Thomas Douglas who, with his brother owned a copra plantation on the island of Taveuni. the Douglas family played a large poneering role in establishing the Fijian copra plantations as Rosaline notes in 'On Copra Ships and coral Islands,' Robert Hale, London 1966, after her visit to Reg and Phyllis Douglas's homestead, (pp 72-5). the Douglas family oral tradition is that the whale tooth and spherical club (lot 314), came from Cakobau, the self styled 'King of Fiji. Collection Dr John Raven, Perth.

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  • Coral - Coral used in jewellery. Coral is a material that is commonly used in jewellery making. It is made up of the skeletons of tiny marine animals called coral polyps. There are many species of coral, but only one group, Corallium, is suitable for carving, and thus can be used in jewellery manufacture. These have a deep red or pink orange skeleton and are known as "noble coral" or "precious coral".

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