Lot 97
W. H. Furness, The island of stone money. Philadelphia a. London 1910.
Estimate
€ 200
Starting Price
€ 140
Lot:
97
Category:
Geography and work of views
Artist:
William Henry Furness
Furness, William Henry: The island of stone money. Uap of the Carolines. Philadelphia a. London: Lippincott Comp. 1910. 21,5 x 14,5 cm. With 31 plates of photographic views. 278 pp. Red Original linen with cover illustration and label on the spine.
(Scuffed and dented; small scratch mark on the spine. Untrimmed and partly uncut.)
An account of the ethnologist William Henry Furness’s journey to the Micronesian island of Yap. Particular emphasis is placed on the island’s famous stone money — large, round limestone discs (rai) which, despite their size, are rarely moved physically and whose value is based primarily on their history and social recognition. Furness explains how this extraordinary monetary system works, how ownership is transferred, and what role it plays in social life.
(Scuffed and dented; small scratch mark on the spine. Untrimmed and partly uncut.)
An account of the ethnologist William Henry Furness’s journey to the Micronesian island of Yap. Particular emphasis is placed on the island’s famous stone money — large, round limestone discs (rai) which, despite their size, are rarely moved physically and whose value is based primarily on their history and social recognition. Furness explains how this extraordinary monetary system works, how ownership is transferred, and what role it plays in social life.