Lot 2615

Sale 68 · Important Australian & World Coins, Medals & Banknotes

New Guinea and Solomon Islands, shell money as a necklace, (about 100 shells in one large string and two small parts of a string), (Opitz p.97). Fine.

Opitz notes that these were used for bride price, to compensate for injuries, payment for carvings, teaching magic burial of the dead or worn at feasts. The shell beads were hammered into small pieces peforated smoothed on edge, polished individually and placed on strings.