Two Superb Prehistoric California Necklaces Two superb necklaces that predate the arrival of Westerners by hundreds, if not thousands of years. First, a necklace consisting of speckled greenish-grey steatite beads interspersed with cut shell discs. The soft stone steatite for these Chumash beads was quarried prehistorically on the island of Catalina, 40 miles off the California coast, and transported all over the mainland in the fast open boats in which the Chumash traveled. These beads and shell discs were found in the Santa Barbara area, and belonged to an old California collection. Second, a necklace composed of small drilled shells. These 225 beads were collected by the Santa Barbara anthropologist Charles C. Brown on the Islands of Santa Cruz and San Miguel in 1915, and display a rich, glowing patina of a quality we have rarely, if ever, seen. Both of these extremely rare, iconic early California, necklaces have been restrung in modern times Steatite and shell disc necklace: length: 36 cm/ 14 in Shell necklace: length: 32 cm/ 12 1/2 in The two together: $2,200 Sale Price: $1,320
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