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Puloulou
Unknown1883-02-12
The Friends of ʻIolani Palace
Honolulu, United States
Puloulou, made of a narwhal tusk and gilt wood ball, in a koa stand. Suspended from a gold chain around the ball is an enamelled Hawaiian coat of arms ornament with the motto "UA MAU KE EA O KA AINA I KA PONO". On the back of the ornament is an inscription in Hawaiian. The stand has triangular carved supports and round nails. The narwhal tusk has a gold colored brass cap with scalloped border and an engraved design, seven shield type decorations (some missing); pointed tip with small side hole.
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Details
- Title: Puloulou
- Creator: Unknown
- Date: 1883-02-12
- Date Created: 1883-02-12
- Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
- Physical Dimensions: Height of tusk: 85.5" Diameter of ball: 11" Height of ornament: 5.5" Width of ornament: 5" Height of stand: 35.5" Width of stand at base: 24"
- Provenance: Coronation gift to King Kalakaua from Captain Tripp. Tripp reportedly took the tusk from a narwhal found off Cape Serdze in the Arctic Ocean. Gifted to The Friends of Iolani Palace in 1973 from the Kawananakoa Family, who inherited it from their grandmother Princess Abigail Kawananakoa (also known as Princess David).
- Subject Keywords: Iolani Palace, King Kalakaua, coronation gift, 1883, narwhal tusk
- Type: sculpture, carving
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