A BLOOMING GOOD CWA WITNESS: An apple seed story

It is apple picking time
not apple blossom time
but what the heck

We have contacted Mrs. Peg Lipscommbe and she given us some very useful information. At 80, and a CWA member, and given that she has spent all her life in and around around Margate on the Apple Isle, she had some very useful information about community life in the region, the apple industry and community understandings of the kinds of activities the community was involved in – apple festivals, the promotion of the apple industry, apple packing competitions and the like.

This kind of information is like solid gold for a researcher. We always thought that the CWA would have such people in its membership.

Mrs. Lipscommbe has willingly given us her permission to name her in our research despite the fact that she was telling us about an Aunt & Uncle who made watermelon seed & cherry seed necklaces in Hobart before WW2. Even though this does not point us to a maker of apple seed necklaces it does tell us quite a lot. More to the point, she is a very reliable witness.

We have had several 2nd & 3rd hand reports, and one first hand report, of people who made apple seed necklaces. It seems that they made them for their own or their family’s use in general.
Interestingly, Mrs. Lipscommbe has told us that “she has never heard of apple seed necklaces being made” anywhere near where she has lived. She has wonderful stories about Apple Festivals, Apple Blossom Princesses and all kinds of things that were celebrated at these events. But no apple seed necklaces! Strange because this is the Apple Isle and Tasmanians all celebrate that.

It seems that people did make apple seed necklaces in Tasmania but not in large numbers. Mrs. Lipscommbe discounted the idea that seed necklaces were "jewellery of The Depression." She is a child of The Depression and recalls that life was "too busy for that kind of thing." She recalled helping her Aunt make necklaces as a child and in particular handing her melon seeds that she could "pierce the seeds with a hot hat pin." It seems these necklace were made as a kind of recreation activity but not for sale and often as gifts.

Nonetheless the search goes on! We need to know the stories that are out there and it seems that up until now very few people have been looking for them in Tasmania.

CWA IN TASMANIA JOINS THE HUNT FOR APPLE SEED MAKERS

We have sent the information to a couple of Huon Branches but have not received a reply as yet. Your article will also be printed in the next issue of our magazine asking anyone to contact you direct. We hope you get some great feedback.

CWA in Tasmania (Inc.)
PO Box 583, NORTH HOBART 7002
Phone: (03) 62 313 706

APPLE SEED ITEMS: LAUNCESTON AUCTION 25.03.09 – Ipil Seeds possibly

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Well the hammer price on all three items was $40 each. This was so despite the fact that the auctioneer raised the issue about the doubt about the origins of the work and that it was probable that neither contained "apple seed". He did not suggest that the seeds were ipil-ipil seeds but did say that seed were possibly from a" tree that originated in Mexico." None of this seemed to effect the hammer price – Auction House – Tullochs Auctions.

More interesting however was the fact that the vendor, who was not present, seems to know of a maker who did indeed use apple seeds for necklace making. The vendor has been contacted and has provided the following information:

• The items offered for sale had all been purchased in Tasmania in various locations such as thrift shops, antique shops or garage sales over several years;
• The vendor's wife in her youth had worked in apple sheds on The Huon and does not recall seeing any apple seed craft being done nor hearing of any at that time;
• The vendor had met a woman living on Tasmania's east coast who had made apple seed necklaces and who had apparently made a great many over the years (100s?) but very often as gifts – this is first reliable report to TASRN of someone in Tasmania making such work in any amount. This clue is being investigated and when more information is available more will be reported here as information comes to hand.

Another person at the auction reported that a friend had purchased a relatively large number of necklaces similar items to the items on sale in Bali. How these items managed to get through Australian customs is a mystery if indeed they did.

WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

IPIL SEED PURSE WITH A UK PROVENANCE

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PROVENANCE: This purse was received a gift in the 1950s in the UK when the current owner was a child. Her memories are that an Aunt gave it to her when she and her husband returned to the UK on furlough from Kenya. The purse may have been purchase in Kenya but more likely on the sea voyage to the UK. Aden is a likely port where it may have been purchased. At the time she received the gift none of her family nor anyone that she knew of had any connection with Tasmania. (Pers. Com 24.03.09)

NETWORKER NOTE: I wouldn't be surprised if these trees are in Africa as there was extensive trade between East Asia and Africa for 100s of years. There were lots of missionaries in Kenya. I'm no expert but the artefact has an East African feel to it.

IPIL SEED MAT

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This mat was purchased in Launceston in an antique shop mid March 209 as an "apple seed mat". Interestingly, in the 1970s there was an importer in Launceston who imported these mats and necklaces. They came in a relatively wide variety of patterns. The importers also understand that there were other importers also selling them as "ipil seed" products into Tasmania.

The importer is still in business but given that company records only go back 10 years it is not possible for them to provide any further information regarding the source of their supplies.

The seeds in this mat have been scientifically identified as ipil-ipil seeds – actually Leucaena leucocephala. However it is understood that these mats and necklaces were regularly retailed as "apple seed" mats and necklaces and were regularly purchased as Tasmanian souvenirs in the 1970s. They are quite rare now but it seems that they were common in Tasmania in the 1970s.

OTHER NAMES FOR IPIL-IPIL SEEDS

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It seems that this little seeds carries much more cultural cargo and is much more significant than almost anyone might have imagined. It now seems that because of the over exploitation of this plant in The Philippines the harvesting of these seeds is now heavily controlled. Yet in Australia – specifically in the Northern Territory & Queensland – this same plant is regarded as an invasive woody weed. Curiously, it seems that in some parts of the Northern Territory necklaces made from these seeds – possibly by Aboriginal people – are understood as "apple seed necklaces." It seems that this infectious 'whitefeller' Freudian slip is prone to happen in lots of places.

SOME REFERENCE LINKS

• Medicinal – Philippines (talismanic?)
• A plant description worth looking at
• Leucaena leucocephala [ipil ipil] has a reputation as the 'miracle tree'.
• Ipil-ipil seeds for sale
• Another context for ipil-ipil or wild tamarind

SAMPLES FROM A TASMAINAN COLLECTION: Apple or Ipil Seeds?

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Necklaces from a Tasmanian collection and notably all were collected in Tasmania. Along with other necklaces containing seeds understood as being “apple seeds” these examples have come to be understood in Tasmania by collectors in a class of their own and typically described as ‘Apple Seed Craft'.

NOTE: Interesting, like objects are similarly understood in the USA and seeds in some of these items have been identified as ipil seeds rather than 'apple seeds'. While, these items are beginning to turn up elsewhere – other than in Tasmania – they seem to be quite (very?) rare.

IDENTIFYING IPIL SEEDS FROM APPLE SEEDS

The ipil-ipil seeds (Leucaena Leucocephala ) can be relatively easily identified and the diagram above is probably the best way to describe how that might be done by the non-botanist albeit that a magnifying glass will generally be needed.

These seeds typically appear in necklaces understood in Tasmania as "apple seed necklaces" and collected as Apple Seed Craft. There is much speculation in regard to how this understanding arose but the ipil/apple Freudian slip cannot be discounted. The search goes on for examples of Apple Seed Craft makers in Tasmania.

One thing is now clear however, regardless of the the fact that these necklaces, placemats, purses, belts, etc. containing either ipil or apple seeds they are quite rare and very little seems to be known about them.

PROGRESS REPORT #2: Apple & Ipil Seeds

What TASRN is really interested in regard to this research is the ‘placedness’ of the cultural products that in Tasmania have been understood as "apple seed" necklaces, etc. A large part of this placedness – Tasmanian-ness ?– is to do with the cultural cargo these objects carry.

TASRN research has brought to light some interesting information. It is below in dot points identifying the key points.
1. The necklaces understood as 'Tasmanian Apple Seed Necklaces' it now seems that they were indeed made elsewhere – or at least a great many (most?) of them were;
2. The form and materials used in these necklaces appear to be and indicate that they are of Asian origin – and in some cases the Pacific region and/or Central & South America;
3. These necklaces seem to be similarly imagined as “Apple Seed Necklaces” in the USA;
4. It is increasingly evident that the palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal) community in Tasmania has no memory of people in their community making such material – nonetheless memories of makers are still being sough and the lack of this information does not by necessity discount that possibility ;
5. There seems to be a paucity of information available in the ‘antique market’ in Tasmania that can attribute a clear Tasmanian provenance for these objects or their being made in Tasmania – however it has been discovered that the TMAG does indeed have three relevant objects in its reserve collection contrary to earlier advice;
6. That there is increasing evidence that these necklaces and kindred objects were quite likely that the key objects have been made in The Philippines and/or New Guinea with others being made throughout the Pacific region – and it may well be the case that they are still being made there and/or in other places in Asia or the Pacific;
7. That seeds in necklaces that was purchased at Tullochs Auctions – Launceston Tasmania – as “Apple Seed Necklaces” have been independently and scientifically verified via botanic testing as being made entirely of ipil seeds ( ipil-ipil _Leucaena leucocephala ) a tropical plant that cannot grow in Tasmania – nor can this plant be imported to Australia currently in any form because it is a destructive and invasive “woody weed”;
8. That it is possible to have seeds in artefacts identified, and verified, in like manner in a non destructive way;
9. That it remains a possibility that at least some of these necklaces and other items understood as “Apple Seed Craft” have been made in Tasmania but this is yet to be verified via oral histories etc.;
10. That there is a possibility that this material may well have been imported into Tasmania since early times (even pre WW1) from Asia and/or the Pacific but this too is yet to be verified;
11. 'Tasmanian Collections' of this material can be seen as an important indicator of Tasmanian adoption, adaptation and assimilation of these objects as ‘Tasmanian’ in the ‘Tasmanian cultural imagination’ with Tasmanian cultural cargo, social histories, etc. These collections can be seen an exemplar of this kind globalisation at work in Tasmania and as it can found elsewhere – the USA almost certainly and possibly the UK as well nonetheless somewhat differently to that to be found in the Tasmanian vernacular.

This information and interpretations of it are currently being tested within the network and its credibility is being tested in the public domain. Hopefully via this process TASRN will be able to glean more information.

If you are reading this and have something information to offer please eMAIL AppleSeedResearch@7250.net or leave a comment in the comment section below.

A STRINGING CHALLENGE: ANY TAKERS? – Apple or Ipil Seeds

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We are looking for ANYONE out there who might be able to repeat this stinging pattern. The chances are that we will not be able to get the seeds into OZ but it is the stringing pattern TASRN is looking to repeat.

The technically extremely competent will find other challenges here on this site that we would be more than interested in finding someone to repeat here in Australia – or indeed anywhere in the world. We know that there is someone out there somewhere!

eBAY FIND: 16.03.09

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eBAY SELLER: MrsTicklefeather United States

PRICE: $6.99 (USD) Arrived in Australia 16.03.09

The seeds in this piece seem to be of a similar kind to those being found in Tasmania and described as "apple seeds" but are clearly something else.

APPLE SEED PURSE STORY

“Conversation with Ruth: Ruth tells of her ‘Gran’ Lotte Woollard who died in Melbourne in1969. Gran had a purse that was a treasure but one that she allowed her grandchildren to play with “if you were very careful”. Ruth was one of those children and “Gran’s little darling.” She clearly remembers not only playing with the this purse – a woven ‘apple seed’ purse – but also that it “was wonderful.” This was in Melbourne in the 1950s and so far as Ruth knows Lotti had never visited Tasmania. Well she hadn’t until she visited her in George Town after she had moved to Tasmania with her parents in the 1950s.

By then her parents had moved to Tasmania and it turned out to be their, and Ruth’s, new home. Her father moved for work reasons and intended to return to Melbourne after two years. That never happened and her childhood in Melbourne has fond memories.

Lottie’s purse had stories – and possibly sentimental memories – but Ruth’s memories of it suggest that Gran would have had it since the 1930s. Lotti never talked about how she came by this purse but there was a story there somewhere otherwise she wouldn’t have treasured it so. Ruth cherishes her memory of this purse too. So much so that she has drawn it from memory and in her memory – WATCH THIS SPACE – it will always be as “Gran Woollard’s purse”. (Pers Com … 03.03.2009) “

eBAY FIND: 16.03.09: Apple or Ipil Seeds?

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eBAY SELLER: MrsTicklefeather United States

PRICE: $6.99 (USD) Arrived in Australia 16.03.09

The seeds in this piece seem to be of a similar kind to those being found in Tasmania and described as "apple seeds" but are clearly something else.

eBAY FIND: Apple or Ipil Seed?

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eBAY SELLER: kathyscorner22 Thomaston, Maine, United States

THIS ITEM: VINTAGE SEASHELL & SEED NECKLACE

• SPECIFICS: Necklace is strung with seashells and some sort of seeds, typical of the Pacific Islands. Hippy love beads that we saw in the '60s... Nicely made!
• CIRCA: 1960 - 1970
• DIMENSIONS: approx 35" (No clasp, so couldn't lay it out to get precise measurement)
• CONDITION: VERY GOOD
• NOTE: The seeds in this piece seem to be of a similar kind to those being found in Tasmania and described as "apple seeds" but are clearly something else.

eBAY FIND: 16.03.09: Apple or Ipil Seeds?

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

eBAY SELLER: MrsTicklefeather United States

PRICE: $6.99 (USD) Arrived in Australia 16.03.09

The seeds in this piece seem to be of a similar kind to those being found in Tasmania and described as "apple seeds" but are clearly something else.

eBAY FIND: 16.03.09

PROVENANCE: Tasmania & Fiji – Ipil Not Apple Seeds

This necklace was purchased in Suva Market January 1968 by it’s current owner – Anna Marie Magnus. She is a textile artist now living in Woodbury Tasmania. At the time she purchased this necklace she purchased approximately 10 similar necklaces. Some of these were given to friends as gifts and she recalls selling some at a “junk stall” since she moved to Tasmania.

Interestingly, Bob Magnus, her husband is an apple enthusiast and nurseryman. He has been involved in collecting heritage apple specimens and has a collection of these trees in his orchard. In earlier days in northern New South Wales he grew mimosa – a tree with the common name ipil-ipil, or ipel, in The Philippines – trees as a fodder tree for goats and cattle. Thus he has a professional knowledge of both mimosa an apple seeds.

This necklace is one verifiable example of how this material seeped into the Tasmanian collective consciousness and adopted as “apple seed” products on the Apple Isle. The ipil-ipil tree is grown widely throughout the Pacific region, The Caribbean and Central America where it is endemic. This is an interesting case where provenance is a loaded story.

NOTE: Since this information was received additional information has come to hand. A prominent Tasmanian researcher working in Tasmania has suggested that this necklace may well have been made in The Philippines and imported into into Fiji for sale as tourist souvenirs (trophies?). The trees that produce these seeds do grow in Fiji but local makers could not compete with the imported product. Nonetheless these items bear scant resemblance to the local indigenous product when and where these seeds might have been used.

SOME REFERENCE LINKS

• Medicinal – Philippines (talismanic?)
• A plant description worth looking at
• Leucaena leucocephala [ipil ipil] has a reputation as the 'miracle tree'.
• Ipil-ipil seeds for sale
• Another context for ipil-ipil or wild tamarind
  

The Hunt Continues

We are waiting patiently to find any information at all about the makers of apple seed necklaces, placemats, purses and other items. Someone somewhere must know something!

If you do please contact us. We know that there is a wonderful story out there! Please email AppleSeedResearch@7250.net if you know even a little bit of one.

PROGRESS REPORT #1: Apple Seeds or Something Else

Information is starting to flow in from various sources and some of it is quite interesting. We are yet to hear from anyone who knows of a maker of these wonderful objects in Tasmania but we are patiently working on that. We have some interesting 2nd and 3rd hand reports and will report those just as soon as we meet the 1st hand observer.

We have also been doing some Internet research and have gleaned some information that may help further along in the process. Click on these links to see the images [LINK 1] • [LINK 2] • [LINK 3] • [LINK 4] • [LINK 5] • [LINK6]
The Bonhams & Goodman Find [LINK ] The Philippines Find [ LINK ]

OUR MEDIA RELEASE: Watch This Space For More Information [ LINK ]

It also seems that neither the VDL Folk Museum in Hobart nor the TMAG in Hobart nor the QVMAG in Launceston has any of this material in their collections. We are wondering how that came about! Does anyone have an idea?

If you are reading this and have a comment to make please do so in the comment section below.

FOUND ON THE INTERNET: Apple or Ipil Seeds

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http://www.rubylane.com/shops/lyndasgoodies/item/LG-00156

FOUND ON eBAY: Apple Seed Neclace 3

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The eBay Seller's Response to our request for more information: "sorry for the delay in response. Took my granny shopping yesterday, came home & went to bed. This necklace was purchased at an estate sale so I don't know anything about it. I have another one that was my moms (she got it as a gift in college in the early 50's and thats all I know.) It got damp in Rita, but I put it in baking soda & rice and it dried nicely, but it needs a good brushing down. If you still want the item I will list it in my store. Thanks so much. Will check out your site. Beth - horsedog59"

FOUND ON eBAY: Apple Seed Neclace 2

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FOUND ON eBAY: Apple Seed Neclace

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT

SELLER'S NOTE: hi there I don't know a lot but what I do know is that they are very important to Aboriginal women, they made them not only from apple seed but also made them from the seeds of the bat wing coral tree and the red bean tree which they call gomow, these necklaces were worn by widows. I can't date the actual ones I have, I have no idea how to tell that one yet but they are bot in perfect condition and a lot of work has gone in to them. I hope this helps regards ... Karen - robnkaz4

MONA'S NECKLACE: Apple Seeds or Something Else

Mother, now deceased, purchased this necklace during the early 1970's in Tasmania. It measures a total of 1.4M long, and is made up of seeds and pips.