North Pacific, Hawaiian Islands, ca. 1860 to 1880 CE. An incredibly rare necklace worn by kings and monarchs known as a lei niho palaoa; the 4 carved wooden pendants are the niho palaoa, and the necklace component is the lei. The spherical lei beads are carved from whale ivory and polished until each achieved a high luster. The wooden niho palaoa are sacred pendants that were worn by both male and female ali'i (chiefs), and some suggest that they represent tongues with the power to speak the law. Size (largest pendant): 1.88" L x 0.57" W (4.8 cm x 1.4 cm); (necklace): 29.7" L (75.4 cm); 18" H (45.7 cm) on included custom stand.

Please note this item falls under the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act and is not eligible for international shipping. Native American, Alaska Native, & Native Hawaiian objects are only eligible to ship within the United States.

This is an ESA antique exempt piece of ivory and cannot be sold internationally or to anyone residing in the states of California, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington. We guarantee that the piece is over 100 years old.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, acquired from 2000 to 2010; ex-old private Oahu, Hawaii, USA collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

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#185194

Wearable if desired and strung in modern times. Some beads and pendants with light abrasions, otherwise intact and excellent. Great preservation to surface textures.