Pearling in Torres Straits.

Rare, c.19th hand coloured engraving of pearling luggers at work in Torres Strait in 1876.

Pearling in the Torres Strait began in 1868 and although natural pearls attracted considerable attention, the economic foundation of the industry lay in pearl shell, which was in strong demand in Australia, America, and Europe for the manufacture of buttons, combs, jewellery, furniture inlay, and cutlery handles. During the early 1870s prices reached as high as £400 per ton. At its height, northern Australia supplied the majority of the world’s pearl shell, generating substantial fortunes for a small number of fleet owners. The industry relied on distinctive pearling luggers: gaff-rigged, two-masted ketches constructed of wood, many of which remained in service for more than sixty years. Typically measuring between 15 and 20 metres in length, they were designed with low waists and bulwarks to assist diving operations. Noted for their graceful, curved lines, the luggers were a striking sight when entering open waters under full sail. By the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many hundreds of luggers operated along Australia’s northern coastline, from Thursday Island to Broome. A significant proportion were built on Thursday Island by Japanese shipwrights, whose technical skill and craftsmanship made a lasting contribution to the development and success of Australia’s pearling fleet.

From the original edition of the Australasian Sketcher.

Collections:
State Library Victoria: Accession no: A/S15/04/76/13