Raysun Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Found them among some bead necklace making items. Was hoping someone recognized them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 These look more like shell bits, rather than pearls. 1 1 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raysun Posted July 13, 2023 Author Share Posted July 13, 2023 2 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said: These look more like shell bits, rather than pearls. Interesting, would they be fairly common if so? And what about them lead you to believe this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Pearls are generally more rounded - these look like squared off pieces. The curved textures in the first photo remind me of shell hinge bits. Paua shell is used to make beads/necklaces, and can be dyed different colors. Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raysun Posted July 13, 2023 Author Share Posted July 13, 2023 18 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said: Pearls are generally more rounded - these look like squared off pieces. The curved textures in the first photo remind me of shell hinge bits. Paua shell is used to make beads/necklaces, and can be dyed different colors. To my understanding irregular shaped pearls (baroque) are the most common leaving rounded or oval shaped pearls in the 10 percentile range thus making them the most rare. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raysun Posted July 13, 2023 Author Share Posted July 13, 2023 5 minutes ago, Raysun said: To my understanding irregular shaped pearls (baroque) are the most common leaving rounded or oval shaped pearls in the 10 percentile range thus making them the most rare. I will however accept your opinion that they are "dyed Paua shell bits" thank you for taking a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 look like pieces of red abalone that has been tumble polished. 1 Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raysun Posted July 14, 2023 Author Share Posted July 14, 2023 57 minutes ago, ynot said: look like pieces of red abalone that has been tumble polished. They have been dyed as well I'm told, what process happens first and why the trouble to select pieces with "shell hinge bits"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 9 hours ago, Raysun said: They have been dyed as well I'm told, what process happens first and why the trouble to select pieces with "shell hinge bits"? I said they CAN be dyed. Red abalone probably only needs to be polished. I would just assume they use all of the shell, if the color is good. Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyw Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 As to why the would do it... I don't know how they did it but when I lived in Panama (the country) the kuna indians ( native tribes in Panama and Columbia) used to dye shells to make them more attractive for their jewelry and artwork.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raysun Posted July 14, 2023 Author Share Posted July 14, 2023 26 minutes ago, Randyw said: As to why the would do it... I don't know how they did it but when I lived in Panama (the country) the kuna indians ( native tribes in Panama and Columbia) used to dye shells to make them more attractive for their jewelry and artwork.... The natives also used tumblers? I wonder how long ago they adopted that technology? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyw Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 (edited) Roflmao! Well seeing as how they have examples of polished and dyed shell pieces over 14,000 years old i'd say quite awhile ago. LOL! And the oldest example of polished shell is 150,000 years old... Edited July 14, 2023 by Randyw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raysun Posted July 14, 2023 Author Share Posted July 14, 2023 1 hour ago, Randyw said: Roflmao! Well seeing as how they have examples of polished and dyed shell pieces over 14,000 years old i'd say quite awhile ago. LOL! And the oldest example of polished shell is 150,000 years old... My apologies , i just now realized their tumblers must have been SOLAR powered. "Roflmao" (hoping I'm using seemingly random letters in context) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyw Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 Roflmao means rolling on floor laughing my off…. But anyway.. there’s more ways to polish shell bits than the mechanical ways most people think of and use today. I actually thought you were joking with your natives used tumblers question. I didn’t realize you didn’t know people have been polishing shell bits for centuries both by hand and tumbler methods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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