Description:

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.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#185194

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

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Shipping

8. IN-HOUSE SHIPPING: All buyers will receive an invoice detailing their purchases, sales tax (if applicable), buyer's premium, and shipping/insurance charges. Items will be shipped only upon receipt of payment in full and will be insured for their full value. We are currently experiencing shipping delays due to staff shortages, please allow up to 15 days for shipping after payment is received. If you prefer to work with a third-party shipper, we can assist with recommendations.

**Please note, we are currently unable to ship to Australia, Germany and Switzerland due to customs clearance issues. If you are in one of these countries, you will need to provide an alternate shipping destination, or we will not be able to complete your purchase.*

**For shipments outside of the USA, customs and duties may apply upon entry into said country; this fee, if any, is the buyer's responsibility. Also, please be aware that Artemis Gallery will NOT falsify customs value on any international shipments - what you pay is what we declare, no exceptions. There are a small number of international countries we cannot ship to. If you have questions about this, please inquire BEFORE bidding**

May 24, 2024 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 27.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000