HAWAIIAN 100% NIIHAU SHELL MUSEUM QUALITY 68" 5-STRAND KIPONA LEI

Description

GENUINE HAWAIIAN NIIHAU 68 INCH 5-STRAND MUSEUM QUALITY COLLECTOR'S KIPONA PIKAKE AND MAUNA LOA LEI.  VERY HIGH QUALITY, VERY HIGH LUSTER SHELLS EXPERTLY CRAFTED BY ONE OF THE BEST OF THE NIIHAU ARTISTS. MOMI SHELLS IN RARE PURE WHITE, RARE DARK AND MEDIUM ONIKINIKI (BROWN AND BLACK SPOTTED),RARE DARK AND MEDIUM KAHAKAHA (BROWN STRIPED), BUTTERSCOTCH, AND DARK AND MEDIUM LENALENA (YELLOW) WITH SOME BLACK TIPS, ARE STRUNG IN THE PIKAKE STYLE. KAHELELANI SHELLS IN RARE HOT AND AKALA PINK, RARE WHITE, LIGHT, DARK AND MEDIUM FLOWER PINK, BROWN AND ELEELE BROWN, MAROON, GREEN, PINK BLUSH AND KAMOA (YELLOW AND ORANGE) ARE STRUNG IN DOUBLE ROWS OF THE MAUNA LOA STYLE. THIS SUPERB LEI IS FINISHED WITH A BEAUTIFUL HIGH QUALITY TRADITIONAL BUMPY COWRIE SHELL. THIS IS A STUNNING, ONE OF A KIND, VERY BEAUTIFUL, RICHLY COLORED LEI THAT THE LIGHT SPARKLES OFF AND LOOKS GORGEOUS ON THE WEARER'S NECK.
THIS LENGTH IS PRIZED BY HULA DANCERS AND MAKES IT A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO ANY COLLECTION - IT IS RARE TO FIND ONE OF THIS LENGTH AND THIS NUMBER OF STRANDS.  USUALLY THE MULTIPLE KIPONA LEIS ARE 3-STRAND.
COLLECTING SHELLS FOR A LEI OF THIS QUALITY AND LENGTH AND NUMBER OF STRANDS TAKES YEARS! JUST AS AN INFORMATIVE BIT, KIPONA REFERS TO A MIX OF TYPES OF SHELLS (MOMI AND KAHELELANI) AND PIKAKE REFERS TO A STYLE OF STRINGING WHICH IS REFLECTIVE OF A VERY SWEET FLOWER THAT IS HIGHLY PRIZED IN HAWAII.  CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY WITH ARTIST'S NAME GIVEN TO BUYER.  ALL OUR LEIS ARE 100% NIIHAU SHELLS STRUNG IN HAWAII BY MEMBERS OF THE NIIHAU FAMILY.
THIS ITEM WAS MADE IN HAWAII, AND IS AT LEAST 80% NIIHAU SHELL. THE ACTUAL PERCENTAGE OF NIIHAU SHELL IN THIS ITEM IS 100%.