Mountain Coral
High in the Himalayas the early Tibetans found and treasured naturally occuring Turquoise.
But also, rarer and intriguing, they occasionally came across fossilized Red Corals, shells and Ammonites.

These on the highest mountain ranges, linked back to when the Himalayas were under the Oceans.
Before they began to be thrust up by tectonic plate movement, as the continents collided.

These Turquoises and Corals (blue and red together) were worn both as decoration and status,
but mainly as protection from Evil and Misfortune, later defined in Buddhism as Demons.
These colours becoming overtime, part of their Religious and everyday wear, to scare away these Demons.
Worn as beads or as embellishments, set in silver or gold jewellery, accessories, functional items and prayer boxes.
A touch of magical colour, further enhancing and protecting both the worn and the wearer.

However, as you can imagine fossilized Coral, now known as “Mountain Coral” was extremely rare and only the very lucky would find it,
but only the powerfully rich could afford to wear it.

Red Coral
The taste and desire for Red Coral was thus created, by those who wanted to wear Mountian Coral but couldn’t afford it. .

Meanwhile ancient trade routes we’ve hardly dreamt of existed, between far flung sources and markets.

For instance in Badakshan, in one valley in the Pamir Mountains of North Eastern Afghanistan,
Lapis Lazuli has been mined by hand and brought out on perilously narrow mountain trails, using ponies, for over 5,000 years.
Traded down into Persia and on to the Meditteranean Empires.
But that’s another story….
Italian Red Coral and Baltic Amber may have found their way back on the return trips overland.

On the Meditteranean Roman Fashion wasn’t based on cycles as ours is, but was geared more and more towards the Exotic, the Rare and Extravagant.
To cater to the tastes of rich Roman women, the reach of the Traders had to stretch further bringing rarer and rarer items
from further and further away, causing money to flow out of the Empire.
This, and its ultimately overextending itself trying to defend its farflung borders, led finally to the collapse of the Empire.
The Senate even tried to pass the “Oppian Laws” to restrict the amount of gold a woman might wear,
hoping also to curb their power and extravagances.
(Suetonius, “The Annals”)

But with the deaths of Julius Caesar, Mark Anthony and Cleopatra the 3,000 year old civilisation of Egypt, it’s wealth and its wheat, fell into Roman hands.

Following Cleopatra and Anthony’s defeat in 31 bc, another Trade route opened up during the early reign of the first Emperor, Tiberius (formerly Octavian, Caesar’s nephew).

So now Red Coral, dived for off Italy, was brought over to Egypt, then up the Nile.
Off loaded and transported overland to Berenice, a port on the Red Sea.
It then set sail catching the “Trade Winds” across the Indian Ocean to India and “Taprobane”, the Roman name for Sri Lanka.
Roman coins and evidence of trade have even been found further up India’s East Coast.
Later when the Monsoon had finished the Trade Winds reversed allowing Traders to sale back west, laden with Spices, Gems and Indian Cottons.
From Taprobane goods were off loaded, and others brought on board for the return trip.
But here it was only a half way staging post, eventually routes developed that exploited the Trade Winds all the way to and from China.

From ports in India the Coral then found its way up through Leh in Ladakh to Tibet, which at that time was affluent and thereby drew the Coral to it.

Baltic Amber was also in demand, adding much wanted Yellow to the palette and I assume it came the same way
traded out of Germania to Roman then on with the Coral.
Of course, it would have travelled overland from the Baltic, too, tapping in to the Northern sources of the Silk Route.

Later other sources like the Persian Gulf and Japan were exploited for Corals and Pearls.
The Meditteranean is now pretty well fished out of Coral, wars have been fought over it.
In Monaco just off the beach, beneath the feet of water skiers, heavily barred cages protect the Prince’s Red Corals, from poachers and thieves.

So now the hunt has moved west out the “Pillars of Hercules”.
Morrocco is running out and hunters are travelling further south down the West Coast of Africa in their search.
Their technique is to trawl tangled nets behind their boats hoping to entangle and detach the coral without diving for it.
And the rest of the reef is damaged in the process.
As it takes about 250 years for a Red Coral _"tree"_to grow to about 80 cm, it’s not replenishing.

Although the trade in New Genuine Red Coral is now restricted, to stop over harvesting and the resultant damage to reefs,
Old Red Coral is literally recycled, being reset and reworked as older beads, for instance,
are accidently broken or worn through constant wear.
Baring this in mind I was shocked to see so much fine Red Coral jewellery in the windows of the shops
on the Ponte Vecchio, of Florence and in Venice, around San Marco.

Window Display, Florence.

We particularly hunt for this Old (and therefore previously well worn) Red Coral, it’s not easy to get
and we treasure it when we find it.

Sometimes paler grades have been used and often older pieces seem to have mellowed,
with many softer shades of milky oranges occuring amongst any given string of beads.
These paler shades, ironically, aren’t as valued by their Tribal wearers,
who prefer the rich reds, symbolizing blood and the life force.

Old Red Coral (The twigs are more recent.)

Whereas we in the West avidly collect them because they do reveal their age, having faded slowly with time and wear.
Long wear with continuous rubbing on a string or thread actually cuts into the softish Coral,
elongating the hole and eroding the bead, eventually wearing through the piece rendering it unthreadable,
as it now sits badly to one side.
Sadly the worst have to be removed lest they cause kinks or cut the thread.
You’ll notice a variety of beads in any string and that sometimes they sit irregularly
adding another texture to the string, on top of the “abrash” of varied colours.
When working with old beads of Red Coral we especially try to keep this colour, size and shape mixture
relaxed and not too structured, so as not to stifle their natural warmth and beauty.
I assume it’s rarity (and therefore status) as well as its beauty and Talismanic qualities would explain
why its use in Central Asian Tribal Jewellery is so wide spread.
Often combined with Pearls it appears all along the Silk Route, Mongolian, Khirgiz, Tajik and Uzbek jewellery all feature it.

Old Coral in a Tajik, Wedding Necklace.

Hill Coral
Meanwhile in Tibet and its cultural neighbours like Nepal, poorer people who also need to be protected
in everyday life wear more affordable lookalikes.
Often Chinese or Indian glass copies of Coral are worn by Naga and Nepalese Hilltribes, termed “Hill Coral”
and luckily neither they nor the Demons can tell the difference.
(After a glance the Demons immediately look away from the threat, thereby being effectively and economically deflected.)
These are usually a bit bigger, being “wound glass” and often round or oval in shape, sometimes with a grain
or slight ridges and trails from winding the molten glass.
Older pieces are heavily pitted, with tiny chips and these smoothed down with time.
Smaller elongated lozenges, pierced in the centre, and threaded horizontally,
are also made to imitate Coral twigs.
Some are even made in softer pinks duplicating the toned down colours of mellowed Antique pieces,
These may only be glass, but we really like them because of their romantic history and the aged feel when they are handled or worn.

Naga and Nepalese Hilltribe “Hill Coral” (old glass.)

Bamboo Coral
About a decade ago the Chinese began producing “Bamboo Coral” by dying dead white coral, deep rich reds and pinks.
These are flooding the market, sometimes used to create stunningly chunky chokers and necks, which would be unaffordable if not just unobtainable in Genuine Old Red Coral.
Unfortunately, when exposed to strong or excessive sunlight these dyes are unstable and will fade, usually to an orange.
Also avoid spraying any jewellery with perfume or hairspray, particularly Bamboo Coral,
as this will activate the dye possibly staining your skin or clothing.

Bamboo Coral.

Melbourne’s answer to Carnaby Street, fed by the Art students living above the shops and attending Prahran College,
6 storeys of different Art disciplines, one block away.

The air sang with the scent of barbecueing lamb, from all the side streets housing Greek and Turkish immigrant families. The art students, hippies, poets and musicians all had their own distinctive scents from Patchouli Oil to wafting clouds that left your head spinning..

The Dentist Steve says that there were at one time 23 Dentists in Greville Street until the 1880’s when most of them moved to Collins Street.

In 1927, a side path between two buildings was enclosed to produce No 181, a tiny Chemist Shop. with built in oak cupboards .
Then in 1947 it became a Jewellery and Watch Repairer for the next thirty years.

It’s said that during the 40’s and 50’s frock shops in the street were fronts for brothels, (in the pay of the Police, whose ex Station and Court House are just accross the road from 181) Brothels catering on payday to the workers walking to the Railway Station from the cigarette factory in the next street, in what is now the Coles carpark.
I’m told that “Squizzy Taylor” who lived in our street in Windsor, was tried here and Ronald Ryan, the last person to be hanged in Victoria, was too. Some serious scuffles took place here, right outside our shop. There are tribal legends of "suiciding" hippies being thrown from the second storey CID office windows. (Also mentioned in the movie "Pure Shit" partly filmed and set in 70's Greville Street.)

In the 50’s Rockers roamed, combed and revved.

In the early 60’s it was Beatniks and Art students, followed by Hippies and Art students.

It was the late 60’s, (one of the wholefood bakeries served hash cookies, first thing Saturday morning to the regulars, I’m told, by a girl who worked there! At 18, from Chadstone, she’d got her first job in Retail, there in 1968, what a buzz!) Albert Langer and the Draft dodgers were based  in the same building (hmmm, was it called Marijuana House ?)

Then it was the 70’s, hippies gradually gave way to punks, musicians, actors, writers, directors, poets, artists and drug addicts.
There were 4 proper Opportunity shops, and lots of Second Hand Clothes, Antiques and Collectables stores.
Quirky individual shops run by very quirky individuals opened there doors, often living above the shop. Living rooms became shops.

In 1977, with it’s oak interior ripped out, No 181 became a Punk clothes shop “Periodz”.

In the early 80’s, Palm Beads opened, 1984 actually.
We had a tall Fan Palm growing outside our door. And a garden with a bench for exhausted males to sprawl on, whilst they waited for the females to choose earrings. They found enough to look at as they waited though, the passing tide was often visually stunning.

The Chapel Street Bazaar was the Greville Street Bazaar, the heart of the street, until it was evicted in ‘91 during the political battles fought to save the district from developers. We won, I think, well we won that battle, but definitely not the war.

Leggetts Ballroom, where each night up to 6,000 hot to fox trotted through the 20’s up to 1970, when “psychedelia” took over. With full on live Hippy light show Dances with Edison Lights, Captain Match Box (who lived accross the road in Greville St) Mc Kenzie Theory and Spectrum etc. until it burnt down in ‘74.

The Continental, and the Station Hotel, both live music venues were driven out (a generation is still angry “The Conti” closed.)

Greville street was synonymous with a vibrant Youth Culture, retro clothing, Alternative outlook and live music, venue posters adorned the poles. School kids playing truant for the day, would bus and train to Greville Street, from as far away as Portland and Euroa, a geography lesson in itself. (specifically to Palm Beads, I might add!)

Dangerfield and Route 66 both started here. There were antiquarian and specialist book and whole food stores. “The Transylvania.” (sigh!) a Restaurant with schnitzels that covered your plate and paprika mash potato.

Then Prahran (Art) College left to merge with the College of the Arts, and Swinburne University moved in. They were pretty tame for a while, (“they’re young designers not art students!” Craig Austin said.) But now they have a Circus School, which adds new life and a quite a few more dimensions to the district.

Next door to us are the amazing “haute couture” designers J’Aton, noses are constantly pressed against their windows.
Sadly they’re relocating to New York soon, we’ll miss the public swooning outside their window. They are however still working from their upstairs rooms ansd She has moved in downstairs.

The street has been cleaned up a lot now, they’ve even cut down our Palm tree, and with the millenium Fashion boutiques are blossoming anew. We find now, we’re the second oldest shop on the street, Greville Records just beats us (now there’s a serious musician’s/collector’s shop.)

The Greville Bookstore and Andrew Isles Books are just up the street, Margaritas Retro Clothing and Stevie are a few doors from us towards the Chapel Street corner.

At the turn of the Century, in 1999, the Government or was it the Council (?) had a concerted clean up,
to quote them, “Get rid of the Riff Raff. And attract nicer people!”

We remember the old days, and so do our customers … over and over … “Thank God, I’m so glad, you’re still here!”…

A new generation is discovering Greville Street … “Oh Good. I bought my first pair of earrings here. And I’ve brought my daughter to show her your shop!”

Each new generation discovers it’s own Greville Street, and we find we are still supplying that special present.

On a good day it’s only seven minutes by train from Flinders Street, on the Sandringham line.

That way you avoid getting carried away, and forgetting what time you parked the car …
or where ……… far more relaxing.

And economical, it’s much better spent on Jewellery, than Parking Fines.

From the station, turn left back to the crossing then right into Greville Street and walk in the sun for four minutes,
grab a coffee on the way, continuing towards Chapel Street.

Cross the pedestrian crossing and you’ll find us about a minute more opposite the Town Hall and Library (where there are good Public Toilets!)

Enjoy.

Pete Baumgarten used to travel every year to places like Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Afghanistan
searching for Tribal beads for his jewellery making.
Even rescuing very old pieces from the scrap boxes, outmoded, unloved and destined to be melted down.
He’d return to Melbourne to have an annual exhibition at the best galleries in Melbourne (Australian Gallery, Collector’s Gallery),
Sydney (Robin Gibson Gallery), and Adelaide (Bonython Gallery.)

Furniture, artefacts, rugs, weavings and jewellery were all displayed, to a devoted following,
in the late 70’s and early 80’s. (Cam used to attend regularly, but never having met Pete…..)

In 1984, Cam started working with Pete and Yvonne Moloney, preparing the next exhibitions’ jewellery,
in Pete’s beautiful slate, bluestone and leadlight studio, nestled deep in his luxuriant Hawthorn back garden.
Surrounded by stacks of Afghan rugs and old wooden type drawers full of rare and collectable trade beads.
Polishing and threading away, with Radio for the Print Handicapped, reading the news and stories to us as we worked.
Up above us in the rafters, were Swat valley chairs and tall wooden Bambara Antelope headdresses.

A chance meeting at one of these exhibitions, with Ian Halliday, resulted in Pete, Yvonne and Ian opening Palm Beads,
at 181 Greville Street, in Prahran, a suburb of Melbourne, in that same year.*

Overseas hunting trips were regular events. Indonesia, Thailand, India and Nepal were often visited.

Sterling Silver and Fashion Jewellery were brought back, but our passion was always for Tribal Jewellery,
especially, as you can see, rich Old Red Coral and deep green Antique Tibetan Turquoise.

Soon after we opened, Pete set off again hunting beads and ended up settled in London.
Where he continues to this day to design and sell his distintive Sterling Silver interpretaions of “Wearable Tribal Jewellery”.
His stall at Portobello Market, near “The Red Lion” Hotel, is well known to travellers, who are always reporting back to us.

This sought after handmade range is always represented on our shelves, often with a waiting list anticipating it’s arrival.

*Coincidently, Cam and Carli both started working there two years later, so, so long ago.

Abdul joined us with the New Millenium.
His cultural ties and years of experience in the field have got us back through the Khyber Pass, and further into Central Asia.

Where earlier generations, of us here at Palm Beads, had travelled on the overland “Hippy Trail” in the 70’s.

We don’t recommend over polishing old pieces as you are actually removing the age and revealing the silver underneath,
so if it’s really quite old and valuable don’t polish it. You can in some cases destroy it’s value.

Having said that, if you are happy with it’s age, and don’t plan to resell it
then you can carefully use a dry “silver polishing cloth” on it,

DO NOT USE A LIQUID CLEANER!

These are too unforgiving and don’t know when to stop.

You have control over the cloth, you can stop, or do more, though a highlight is enough, we like to retain some of the age.

All pure metals are too soft and need hardening by the addition of a little of another metal, creating an alloy.

For instance;
bronze is an alloy of copper with a little tin,
brass is copper with a little zinc,
silver usually has some copper added.

So 100% silver is too soft, Sterling Silver is 92.5% (925 parts per 1,000) and 7.5% usually copper.

Customers new to silver, all too often ask

“Is it Pure Silver?”

“No, it’s Sterling, Pure Silver is too soft.”

Tribal Silver is made from “Coin Silver”, which is melted down coins, whatever their value is now transferred to the jewellery.
Often the coins themselves are incorporated, both retaining their value and adding ready made decorative units.

This 18th Century Austrian Maria Theresa Thaler, (pictured) found in Ethiopia, is now highly collectable, yet was melted down for centuries
to make Tribal Jewellery all through Islam and North Africa.
Millions of copies were made by the British for trade, up until WW1.
Magnificent necklaces are also found that incorporate this coin directly into larger pieces,
the novelty of the Empress’ portrait, and the double headed Austrian eagle on the reverse,
were both appealing visually and also talismanically. Ironically she’s now remembered as Marie Antoinette’s mother.

For nomads this represents portable/wearable banking.
In a disaster, invasion or migration your wealth is worn with you.
For women, this is often their only personal wealth, a dowry that does not belong to their husbands,
added to in good seasons and drawn on in times of need.

In some countries the coins were pure silver, others of lesser silver content,
generally though Tribal Silver is considered to range from 70% silver content
any where up to Sterling (92.5%) even in rare cases Pure.

I think Sterling pieces generally are new, made for export/tourists, however their purchase supports living craftsmen,
giving them reason to keep producing Traditional techniques and designs, rather than Modern Hybrids.

These should also therefore be supported, if there is to be any continuance of their culture,
besieged as it is by the West and the Modern!.

Just yesterday I had to repair a delightful pair of Uzbek silver, turquoise, red coral and pearl earrings,
that had literally dissolved in a dip solution.
Their owner had innocently followed the instructions given on “Antiques Roadshow” for “cleaning silver, just mix up….”
maybe for cutlery, trays or serviette rings, but certainly NOT for finely made Tribal Pieces,
especially ones with pearls (which can dissolve) and tiny Turquoises (that all fell out!)

The brew seemed so harmless, but was so strong it turned the solder brittle, and attached pieces of silver also fell off!

So, if you can, just restrict yourself to a gentle rub with a dry “SILVER POLISHING CLOTH”
(that’s what they’re called you’ll find them in the Supermarket, just next to those lovely dips and liquid cleaners!)

But always protect Pearls, cover them with a clean dry thumb, if you’re polishing the silver.
Polish around them, as the oxide you rub off, will stain the Pearls if it comes in contact with them!