Lab Hours: 5/20/2014

1 hour: de-installation today.

Lab Hours

12.5 hours: inventory research. I didn't find everything about all of my objects (like the ivory box), but what I did find was useful.  I can't believe I looked in so many ornithology texts and could only find a picture of an emu egg in one of them (the rest had the adult bird).

Mallory!

Scroll down, is this what your bag looks like?

http://pacificcollectionsreview.wordpress.com/

skirt

I figured out what one of the fibers on that skirt in the coffin case is.  It's from New Zealand, not Somoa.
The fiber that is red-orange and curling, that is on the skirt we have.

http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/Object/162786

Rattle and Arctic collection

I found a similar rattle in the arctic collection of the Smithsonian.
This might help with other objects.
http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/features/fisher/090438.html

Emu egg cameo

Is it possible that the cameo was actually an inlet like this?

http://www.carters.com.au/index.cfm/item/87298-an-impressive-silver-mounted-presentation-emu-egg-inkwell-by-j-m/

At least I know that emu egg carving is common.

Ceremonial cloth

Abbie: I think this is your object.

The cloth that is hanging on the wall.
I came across an image that may be of help.  It is in the online text (found through the library) called The Pacific Arts of Polynesia and Micronesia. Page 107, figure 77.

Lab Hours

3.5 hours: Museum docent, and artifact research.