Hand carved Bone, Jade, Wood & Pearl shell pendants, carvings, gifts & art
from New Zealand & the Pacific

The Cord, The Bag & The Story Sheet

Every piece comes with a braided or plaited waxed braid cord with bound in loop and toggle, along with woven native flax bag designed to show of the traditional styling and beauty of the carving.
Also supplied is an attractive information sheet telling of the meaning of the carving and a little about the Maori people.

The cords are selected to best compliment the carving so a small piece would have a fine cord where most other pieces would have a thick cord.
If you have a preference for colour, length, or style please let us know when you place your order.

For the larger and more ornate carvings the cords are made from several strands of fine waxed braid hand twisted or plaited to form a durable cord with a very traditional feel and look (Cord 4). These cords are much thicker and also include a bound loop and carved bone, pearl or jade toggle similar to the natural colour cord shown on this page.

The cords for the smaller pieces (and carvings under US$60) are most often made of a soft but very strong waxed braid which again gives a very traditional look while being durable in all conditions (Cord 2 or 3). These cords are again normally fitted with a bound loop and bone or jade toggle but can also be supplied as a simple cord with two slip knots and no toggle that allows easy adjustment of the length.

Our cords come in two colours, natural/tan or black. Most carvings are supplied with a black cord unless shown with the natural cord fitted.

In most cases the cord is attached by being looped through the carving so it can be easily removed but in some of the larger or more ornate pieces the cord is actually woven into the carving becoming an integral part of the design.

The length of the cords is such that the piece should sit in about the middle of the upper chest approximately 100 mm (4 inches) from the base of the neck. This makes the cord roughly 525mm (21 inches) in length when fitted to the carving.

If you would rather it sat higher more like a choker or want a specific length, please indicate the length required in the comments section when placing your order. There is no extra charge for custom making the standard cords to any length required, long or short.

The small bag or pouch (called a "Kete" in Maori) that also comes with every carving is made from treated and woven flax or similar material. It is again designed to compliment your carving and also provide protection when it is not being worn. The Maori have used the fibre from plants like the hardy flax for hundreds of years to make bags, baskets, mats, clothing, ropes, bindings and even the walls of their huts. It is therefore the most appropriate way to present and care for a traditional or even contemporary bone, pearl or jade carving.

Shipping for up to 5 cords is only US$3
(choose the US$6.95 shipping option and the system will automatically change it to $3 when checking out)

Additional Cords and Bags:
We can supply "Additional or Replacement" cords and bags on request.

Cord Ordering FAQ
= If you are ordering spare cords and need a special length (other than the 22 inch standard cord length) please specify the cord length required from end to end and don't forget to add 30mm to 40mm (1.4 inches) on average to allow for fixing to the carving.
= Please don't ask for a cord that "hangs the carving 3 inches from the base of my neck" We don't know how thick your neck is so we need a real length from end to end in inches or cm.
= If you ask us to change the length of a cord on a carving you are buying from us don't add any extra as we will assume the length requested is the "when fitted" size so we will work out what extra is needed for that particular carving.
= Cords stretch a little with the weight of a carving and even the room temperature so we can not make them accurate down to 0.0001 inch. They will be accurate to around 12mm (1/2 an inch)
= Cord lengths do not include the toggle or loop as these overlap when closed and basically cancel out.
= Yes we can make also sorts of custom cords and bindings so feel free to ask.

JUST A REMINDER
All carvings are already supplied with a cord and bag, you do not need to order cords or bags unless you require additional or replacement items.