Mere, D27.2251

Nephrite - kawakawa variety, dark green with patches of milky flaws. Spatulate in shape tapering to slightly noted shoulders and straight sided neck. Bilateral expansion above neck, proximal end rounded, no bands on butt. Perforation slightly off centre at top of neck - drilled from both sides. Medium translucency.

Later entry:
Exch. University Museum Toronto
Catalogue card:
Nephrite - dark green with patches of milky flaws. Spatulate in shape tapering to straight sided neck. Bilateral expansion above neck, proximal end rounded, edge flat. Perforation slightly off centre at top of neck - drilled from both sides.

The white spots are clusters of coarse temolite crystals. —Russell Beck

Locality: Wanganui

Wanganui. Purch F/F £40… Presume this is the mere presented by Willi Fels as a New Years gift 1927. Fels writing to skinner 25/2/27 (?in receipt of a letter from him): "Today, Sir Fred K Chapman, Sir George Fenwick, Sir John Roberts and Mr Bathgate had lunch with me and I showed them the greenstone mere which they duly admired and I am glad that you consider it one of the finest things the Museum will have and that the blade is the finest you have ever seen." FH Hatherly wrote to Fels (1/3/27) from Wanganui with information said to be supplied through My Robert Carle obtained from Whatataha, aged 84: "Te Ramarama, Chief of Kaiwhaiki organised a dig on Stewart Island" (the place is doubtful) anyway some part of the South Island, probably joining forces with some Putiki natives. They returned with two meres "Whakarewarewa and Marataritari. The [latter]... is reputed to be the mere you bought from me. "The meres were found some years ago some miles inland from Kai Iwi by MR AJS Rawson now of Marton when on a pig hunting expedition" (MW 10/92)