Bling from the Sea
Check out what people are wearing on Martha's Vineyard and you're bound to see wrists heavy with bracelets crafted from the purple and white shells that cover Island beaches.
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It was
Kate
Taylor's interest
&
artistry
that
made
her a
fashion icon and
wampum jewelry, Island chic.
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The themes are many: some pieces are combined with colorful seaglass, some pristine and natural as if they had just been plucked from a sandy shore. Welcome to the world of Wampum - the Island's foremost fashion statement.
Wampum a Part of MV's History
Wampum is connected to both the history of Martha's Vineyard's native Wampanoags and the Island's seafaring culture. Considered to be of very high value, the Wampanoags used Wampum for trading, and for making important agreements. They also created finely detailed belts, jewelry and many other items from Vineyard wampum.
Wampum - more than a seashell
The clam shell native to the Atlantic Ocean and the north eastern coast is called a quahog. The Wampum is cut from the central spiral within the shell. As shells are broken by waves and smoothed by salt and sand, a rough piece of purple wampum results. Finding a whole quahog shell is easy, but finding an intact purple piece of the shell is rare.
Where to Shop for Wampum
Beadniks: Main St.,VH
CB Stark:
Main St.,VH &
N Water St., Edg
Citrine: (new location)
Main St. VH
Claudia's: Main St.,VH
& Main St., Edg
Moonstone: Main St.,VH
Sioux Eagle: Main St.,VH
Stony Creek Gifts: AQ |
Kate Taylor --
Singer-Songwriter, Wampum Artist
In the late 60's, Kate Taylor started making and wearing wampum, opening a whole new chapter in its history. It was Kate's interest in creating wearable works of art that made her MV's fashion icon and wampum jewelry, Island chic. Decades later, her distinctive bracelets, earrings, necklaces and beadwork remain among the most popular wampum jewelry ever designed.
Wampum - a True Island Tradition
Once the mark of a year-round Islander, appreciation of wampum has evolved into the Island's fashion mainstream to become the quintessenial Martha's Vineyard souvenir. Wampum jewelry can be found all around the Vineyard. If you are interested in selecting your own beads, stop by Beadniks in Vineyard Haven. Otherwise you'll find wampum bracelets, necklaces, earrings and amulets at many Island jewelry stores.
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Buying Wampum
Over the past thirty years Wampum has played a large part in the jewelry industry of Martha’s Vineyard. The sculpting and shaping of Wampum beads is a difficult and detailed job - one of the reasons why the beads can range in prices from about .50 cents to $40. Producing just one bead can take many hours.
What to Look For
- Color: The deeper the purple the higher the value
- Pattern: Swirls and mixing of the different purple shades add texture and value to the bead.
- Size: Large shells are hard find, making large beads more expensive.
- Method: Wampum beads crafted by hand are more expensive then those produced by machine.
- Finish: Selecting matte or polished beads is an aesthetic choice.
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Martha's Vineyard Online, MVOL.com would like to thank Kate Taylor, Tom Nedow at Beadniks in Vineyard Haven and Colleen Barnett for their contributions to this article.
