Unsorted kahelelani shells with grains of sand intact. by Niihau Cultural Heritage Foundation, via Flickr

RARE NIʻIHAU SHELL LEI COLLECTION @ BISHOP MUSEUM – Lei made from tiny, colorful shells carried by surf onto the beaches of the island of Niʻihau are among the most prized in the world. A master artisan may take years to craft a multi-strand Niʻihau shell lei, much of that time spent combing beaches for the desired colors & sizes. Shells wash up on shore infrequently & access to the privately owned island is extremely limited, so authentic Niʻihau shell lei often sell for thousands of…

Preserving the fine Hawaiian folk art of Ni`ihau Shell Lei making and raising public awareness of the value and rarity of these fine Ni`ihau shell lei.

Celebrating Over 30yrs in Parker Square, we have the most diverse collections of Hawaiian Art and largest number of local artists on the Hawaii Islands

When it comes to Kahelelani shell leis, there are five main aspects that determine the overall worth of a piece. 1. Color: The shells in...

Kahelelani shells are the precious gems of Hawaiian island 💗😊#kahelelanishells #shellshawaii

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NIʻIHAU MOMI SHELLS — Muricoidea / Columbellidae Columbellinae : Euplica varians (aka Columbella varians). ❦ Momi ("pearl") shells from the Island of Niʻihau are used in the beautiful & intricate Niʻihau shell leis. Although some of these shells do wash up on other islands, those from the Island of Niʻihau are superior — and only shells actually collected on Niʻihau Island can legally be labelled as Niʻihau shells or leis. ❦

The island of Niihau has long been shrouded in mystery, isolated in space and almost in time. As a result, the residents there have been able to practice

These earring are made using some of the most rare and valuable shells on Earth. The Momi shells (larger white) and the Kahelelani shells are known as Niihau shells, after the forbidden Island just Northwest of Kauai that has made these shells famous. They are so rare in fact, that they are the ONL