Context (CMS Context)
One of 12 sperm whale teeth necklaces, one of which is described as "unusually large" and one "with pendants provided with extraordinary taper points" . The items need to be examined for more individual identification. The Fiji catalogue reference cards have the following entries: "Extract from register 1918.213.1-74: Additions to the Gordon Collections presented by George A.H. Gordon and collected by his father Sir A.H. Gordon during his governorship of Fiji from September 1875 till January 1880. (Sir A.H.Gordon was Governor of Fiji from September 1875 till January 1880. F.J.H)." "Confirm Minutes of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society 18 October 1883, and Accessions Register" Collected by: Gordon.Sir.Arthur.Hamilton-
Event Date 9/7/1987
Author: maa

Description (CMS Description)
Necklace of pointed pendants ground out of sperm whale teeth
Event Date 9/7/1987
Author: maa

Context (CMS Context)
Thirty-Fourth Annual Report of the Antiquarian Committee to the Senate with Lists of Accessions for the Years 1917 and 1918 [6 March 1919], List of Accessions from January 1 to December 31, 1918: '1918.213. Additions to the Gordon Collection: (1) Hair ornaments of coco-palm film; (2-13) twelve necklaces with pendants ground out of sperm whale teeth, including one of unusually large size and one with peculiar taper pendants; (14-16) three breast-ornaments: composite plates of irregular oval outline with serrated edges, formed of whale-tooth ivory plaques and centres of pearl-shell with ivory inlay; one unusually large (10" x 10".8) with circular shell centre, bearing an angular pendant device of ivory; one (7".8 x 7".8) with square centre inlaid with a pair of crossed ivory fillets forming a St Andrew's cross, and four roundlets; and one (6".5 x 7".8) with oblong centre, bearing a single four-rayed star; (17) a penannular boar's tusk, worn as a pendant by men of position; (18) a bundle of folded lengths of thin, white bark cloth, used for turbans, scarves, etc.; (27) an oblong door-step of hard wood; (28) seven floor-mats: three ornate and four plain; (19) a bale of thick white bark cloth; (20) a large piece of bark cloth bearing a bold design in black and white; (29) a small mat for carrying an indent; (64) a child's paddle; (62) a boy chief's cylindrical club with carved grip; (30) a fan of variegated plaited coconut-leaf; (31) a number of baskets; (32-49) eighteen earthenware vessels of various forms; (50) a carved coconut receptacle for oil; (61) an incised bamboo receptacle for tobacco leaves; (52, 53) two small four legged kava bowls (circular and oval); (51) a carved wooden ring-stand for kava strainer; (54-60) seven unusually large, ground and enamelled coconut drinking-cups; (23-25) three old men's sticks; (21, 22) two fly-whisks of coconut-fibre; (63) a chief's palm-leaf war fan; (66-73) eight tambua (polished sperm whale teeth, used as tokens of good faith) with ornate loop of plaited coconut-fibre: some of the teeth are ground into symmetrical forms and stained red. These tambua were presented to the first Governor of Fiji (Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon) at the cession of the Islands and on other ceremonial occasions, 1876-1880; (65) a wooden vei-tinka head, inlaid with sperm whale ivory roundels; and (26 a and b) a pair of models of a mbure (spirit-house) made of plaited coconut-fibre cord. The Lord Stanmore.’
Event Date 19/10/2012
Author: Lucie Carreau

Context (CMS Context)
Catalogue card reads [in blue pen:] '1918 213 (2-13) FIJI. 12 necklaces of pointed pendants ground out of sperm teeth: one unusually large + one with pendants provided with extraordinary taper points. G. A. M. Hamilton-Gordon 2nd Baron Stanmore. (See 1st card). [added in pencil:] '(2-13)'. [stamped in red ink:] 'CUMAA -9 JUL 1987 TRANSCRIBED'. A small red round sticker pasted to the card. [at the back in blue pen:] '2 = Z 2748; 3 = Z 2753; 5 = Z 2729; 6 = Z 2731; 9 = Z 2750; 11 = Z 2743; 13 = Z 2757'.
Event Date 19/10/2012
Author: Lucie Carreau

Description (CMS Description)
Necklace (waseisei) formed of 28 tusks carved from whale teeth, pierced and the top and strung on a cord of 3-ply plaited coir. An additional piece of twisted ?string is woven around the central cord and between the top of the tusks. The thin string woven around the central cord had broken and is starting to unravel. At each end, two newer piece of 3-ply plaited coir are attached to the object.The tusks are curving upwards and tapering. The front has a light honey colour while the back has a darker shade of honey. Sturdy. '1918.213.12.' inscribed in black ink on the side of the first tusk from the left. A small square cream label pasted on the same tusk reads [handwritten in pencil:] '20'.
Event Date 19/10/2012
Author: maa