Summary

Necklace commissioned by Prue Acton from the Melbourne jeweller Marcos Davidson in the period 1982 - 1984. The bone was provided by Universal Meats of Melbourne, and prepared by a restaurant in the Block Arcade. It was part of the `End of the Earth' range.

It was worn by the 1984 Miss Universe entrant Donna Rudrum with the aboriginal ensemble in the Museum's collection (SH 942432.) It was possibly later worn by the donor.

Physical Description

Necklace of black leather thonging with two carved oxtail bones, flower caps, buttons and three wooden tusks.

Significance

For jewellery using bones, Universal Meats of Melbourne provided bones. A Melbourne restaurant in Block Arcade, cooked the bones, kept the meat and stoc stock, put the bones in a pizza oven to dry - smell caused problems. Later bones were boiled in studio of Marcus Davidson,Block Arcade using coco cola lime and sterident and left to dry in the sun.
Smell continued to cause problems with other residents of Block Arcade.

This and other pieces of jewellry were made by Marcus Davidson buying bones at a butcher and cooking them at a resaurant (see supp. file for details). They were burnt to enhance the colour and carved.

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