MAN WITH THE HARP

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 73, 27 March 1934, Page 14

MAN WITH THE HARP

SEEKING PAWA SHELLS

VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND

"I have come 12,000 miles from London just to see those pearls!" The speaker was Mr. J. Prosper Ealston, a Canadian, who is known to readers of "The Wide World Magazine" by the romantic name of "The Man with the Harp." He is at present in Wellington, and he was telling a "Post" reporter something of his quest. He is also seeking pawa shells. He wants to buy 10,01)0 of them.

"You see," lie said, "I first saw a paiva shell in Manchester. "It had been properly treated, and for decorative purposes seemed to mo to possess nil the qualities of the opal. I offered £10 for it, but the owner, who refused, said he got it from Stewart Island. I communicated with Stewart Island, and since then have had samples forwarded to me of the blue, green, and fed fire pawa shells. Lately I heard.that .green pearls had been found in the Stewart Island pawa shells, and I have come all the way from London to see them. Also I am prepared to buy pawa shells, which are very useful for ornamental and decorative purposes, particularly in eabinetmaking. I want 10,000 of them." DREAM HARP "WORTH £20,000." Mr. Balston, who was much interested in the use the Maoris made of the pawa, has had a romantic career in ■which he has experienced all kinds of adventures in Mexico, Alaska, and Australia, winding up with a revolution in Honduras. He is a man with a mission. His aim is xto build the world's wonder harp, which, ho estimates, will cost him £20,000. It will be 9 feet high, and will be decorated with diamonds, sapphires, and opals. Ah ; accomplished player, he lives and dreams of his wonder harp—and in all his wanderings he has never been without the best harp he could buy. He has carried his harp over the mountains. .'■•.•■ In '19.13, when S3 years of ago, he found; himself "broke" in Seattle and set out~to: make his fortune, taking his harp with him. "Some years previously, when, as a mere youngster, I was wandering about in Mexico," he said,----"I hoard a Mexican playing 'La Paloma' on a big, battered-looking harp. I listened entranced; I had never before heard music so sweet. 'Some day,' I told myself solemnly, 'I will buy one of those things and become a great artist on it.'" He made two expeditions to Alaska, during which his harp played a notable part. "A BRILLIANT IDEA." "During the ten' years, after • I left Alaska,' as related tp • the 'Wide World Magazine' in" 1931," he continued; f'l cherished a dream—to' build a' harp such as had never been -built: before* a harp giving a far wider range of • tones and harmonies. than the.present type of instrument. Throughout those ten years—in which financially speaking, I. did . quite • well—l spent most of my spare time and a good deal of money in ceaseless experiments to this end. ---.• At last I had my 'dream harp' planned in the rough. Then I had a brilliant idea. A super harp such as I believed I had designed deserved an exterior as unique as-the instrument itself. I dotermined, [therefore, to inlay it; with opal, picked out .with diamonds, sapphires,- atfd other gems. Its perform-: ance should set the musical' worlcl ablaze; its appearance should stagger •the groundlings! ■ ' ~ .-'.■-. j" "And; then, came disaster. In 1928, ali unfortunate speculation ;saw the patient savings of years wiped out as if they had never been; and with them, it seemed'at first, went all hope of my costly 'dream harp' ever materialising. When I rallied-from the shock, however, I saw how I might yet carry out my project. I would go to Australia, I told myself, and there seek opals, sapphires, and diamonds. When I had obtained them'l would build my Harp and do the inlay work myself." Mr. Ealston added that he spent two and a half years in opal mining in Queensland, and then he went to the Western Australian goldfields, and to the pearl fisheries at Broome.

"Yes," hie concluded. ' "I am now 43 years of age. I have had an adventurous life. I see my 'dream harp' nearing realisation. Now I want to see those green pawa shell pearls!"