Description (CMS Description)
Oval pendant of tridacna shell, thin and perforated at the top. A short length of twisted plan fibre is threaded through the hole and decorated with a white shell bead. The pendant is decorated on both sides. On one side, it is lightly incised with a zigzag border, frigate bird designs and an anthropomorphic figure standing in a canoe. On the other side, it is more deeply incised with a zigzag border and frigate bird designs and has been heavily rubbed with black pigment.
Event Date 26/5/2015
Author: maa

Context (CMS Context)
Labels & inscriptions: 'San Cristoval |Palmer|' inscribed in pencil on the lightly incised side. Another inscription in pencil is illegible.
Event Date 26/5/2015
Author: maa

Description (CMS Description)
[From catalogue card 1:] 'Breast ornament of TALMES a chief. From San Cristoval. The design is incised on the clam shell on one side and has a human figure. The other side has a bird design in black. There is a rubbing with the object'. [From catalogue card 2:] 'Breast ornament, white shell disc + black incisions'.
Event Date 26/5/2015
Author: maa

Context (CMS Context)
An old display label found in the archives (OA2/15/9) reads: ‘BREAST ORNAMENT / OF CHIEF "TALMES". REVERS IS SHOWN. / RUBBING BELOW OF FACE. / Z,10857'.
Event Date 27/10/2016
Author: Lucie Carreau

Context (CMS Context)
‘TALMES’ has been noted as a chief’s name on the catalogue card but this is incorrect – It is a mis-reading of 'Palmer'. There are other objects with similar inscription, following the same format and inscribed with the same date (1893) in the collection. All are inscribed with 'Palmer', including this one.
Event Date 19/3/2016
Author: Lucie Carreau