Truk (Chuuk) Island, Federated States of Micronesia
19th century
Tridacna shell, fiber cord
Length: 17½ inches (44.5 cm)
Provenance: Purchased from Sacred Heart Mission, SVD, Hiltrup, Germany, 1963; L. Van Busel, Amsterdam, 1963; Anne Vanderstaete, Brussels, 1966; Zaira and Marcel Mis, Brussels
Necklaces composed of worked tridacna shell disks were among the most valued adornment objects in Micronesian exchange and ceremonial traditions, with the giant clam shell prized across the Pacific for its density, whiteness, and capacity to be worked into uniform forms. This example is strung with a long sequence of evenly ground disk beads on fiber cord, the disks consistent in diameter and thickness, indicating careful selection and preparation of the shell material. The restrained, repetitive form is characteristic of Micronesian shell jewelry produced for both personal wear and use as a prestige exchange object between communities.
The provenance of this necklace traces through four documented European collections beginning in 1963, when it was acquired directly from the Sacred Heart Mission SVD in Hiltrup, Germany, a Catholic missionary organization with longstanding presence in Micronesia. That origin point provides a clear and credible route from the islands to Europe, and the subsequent collecting history through Amsterdam and Brussels adds nearly six decades of documented custody. The piece is presented in a custom archival mount suitable for display.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Truk (Chuuk) Island, Federated States of Micronesia
19th century
Tridacna shell, fiber cord
Length: 17½ inches (44.5 cm)
Provenance: Purchased from Sacred Heart Mission, SVD, Hiltrup, Germany, 1963; L. Van Busel, Amsterdam, 1963; Anne Vanderstaete, Brussels, 1966; Zaira and Marcel Mis, Brussels
Necklaces composed of worked tridacna shell disks were among the most valued adornment objects in Micronesian exchange and ceremonial traditions, with the giant clam shell prized across the Pacific for its density, whiteness, and capacity to be worked into uniform forms. This example is strung with a long sequence of evenly ground disk beads on fiber cord, the disks consistent in diameter and thickness, indicating careful selection and preparation of the shell material. The restrained, repetitive form is characteristic of Micronesian shell jewelry produced for both personal wear and use as a prestige exchange object between communities.
The provenance of this necklace traces through four documented European collections beginning in 1963, when it was acquired directly from the Sacred Heart Mission SVD in Hiltrup, Germany, a Catholic missionary organization with longstanding presence in Micronesia. That origin point provides a clear and credible route from the islands to Europe, and the subsequent collecting history through Amsterdam and Brussels adds nearly six decades of documented custody. The piece is presented in a custom archival mount suitable for display.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
