Description: This print is from a rare, Victorian-era book from the 1890s. It depicts the royal cloak of Hawaii. It is the large feather cloak that was the insignia of Hawaiian royalty, as it looked over 110 years ago! Forgive the poor quality scan that doesn't do this print justice. The picture has much smoother tones and a lot more detail than this scan shows. You can clearly see details in the robe. The text reads: THE ROYAL CLOAK OF HAWAII-- These large feather cloaks were the insignia of Hawaiian royalty. The only one now existing of special value was worn by Kalakau at his coronation, and formed a part of every formal ceremony, until it draped the heir of the dead king, during the long lying-in-state at the palace, in 1891. The cloak was made of canvass, woven by the natives, to which tiny yellow feathers are fastened to form a smooth velvety surface. It was the war cloak of Kamehameha I, and nine generations of chiefs were occupied in the making of it. The feathers were taken from a bird called the mamo. As each bird can supply but two tiny feathers, one taken from under each wing, the number required for one cloak was immense. At the present day the bird is almost extinct. The length of this cape is four feet and one-half, spreading nearly twelve feet at the bottom. FYI, the mamo or hoohoo is an bird of the genus Drepanis. These nectar-feeding passerines were endemic to Hawaii but are now extinct. The Hawaiian name may be related to the name of the "O'o" (Moho nobilis) a bird with a similar appearance. Another name for the mamo was Below the photo is a long caption that manages to capture the feeling of the era, with its description of the scene shown and the region. The page measures approx. 9.5 x 11.5 inches, and the actual image area is about 7 x 9 inches (17 x 23 cm). The page is in excellent condition for its age except for a slight mar/smudge in the white margin area.. There is another picture/text on the back of the print, but it does not show through to the front. Powered by SixBit's eCommerce Solution
Price: 19.97 USD
Location: Lake Villa, Illinois
End Time: 2024-12-19T21:01:07.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
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Item Specifics
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Return policy details:
Type: Print
Subject: Famous Places
Original/Licensed Reprint: Original
Date of Creation: 1800-1899
Listed By: Dealer or Reseller
