Thanks, Beth, Kay and Rose, for this interesting thread.
Dentilium is far more varied than I realized, either.
Here is my dentalium story: A very long time ago I picked up a
strange but interesting string of beads for 10 cents at the Berkeley
CA Good Will. The beads looked like crude glass and there was some
kind of shell between each glass bead.
Years later, when I had learned something about trade beads, I
realized that the glass were trade beads and the shell dentilium.
Since the beads are the kind used in the pacific North West in the
19th century, I have long assumed my 10 cent necklace is of West
Coast Native American origin, and probably old. I’ve seen this
source attribution to similar combinations of trade beads and
dentalium shell in museums.
Can anyone suggest further sources of I’d like to know
more about my necklace, but haven’t spent much time researching it
up to now.
Dian Deevey
Can anyone suggest further sources of
Hi Dian, For on dentalium use along with a great history
of all North American Indian Jewelry see “North American Indian
Jewelry and Adornment, From Prehistory to the Present” by Lois Sherr
Dubin ISBN 0-8109-3689-5
Marta
Here is my dentalium story: ....... I have long assumed my
10 cent necklace is of West Coast Native American origin, and
probably old. I've seen this source attribution to similar
combinations of trade beads and dentalium shell in museums. Can
anyone suggest further sources of I'd like to know
more about my necklace, but haven't spent much time researching it
up to now. Dian Deevey
Dian: For some reason this topic has fascinated me. I went out on
Google and typed in Dentalium and trade beads and a whole bunch of
references appeared. This one (URL
http://www.collectible-beads.com/beads-n-america.htm) seems to have
pix showing the combination of chinese glass beads and dentalium.
Since I don’t know what you piece looks like, perhaps the photos on
this site can help you out. Quite an interesting topic.
Kay