#50 • Solomons Islands Form Plaque

Part of Professor’s Collection Part One: Pacific & Pre-Columbian Artifacts (live auction by Blue Box Auction Gallery)

Starting at $90.00

Status: No sale

Estimated Value: $300-600 Origin: Oceania, Western Solomon Islands Dimensions: 5.25x0.375x6 in.  Condition: It has some light wear and indents along the edges.  Additional Information: A round white marble-like carving made from fossilized clamshell believed to be from the Tridacna shell. The form is believed to be from the late 19th century or early 20th century. It features a circular form with a protruding form that that top with carved lines. These carving represent a symbol of wealth depicting a zoomorphic figure over a large openwork circle. In the late 19th century a group of fossilized shells were used to carve marble-like plaques. Their location was known to a small group of Melanesian carvers, thus the carvings were worn as status symbols or used to adorn structures.