The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-04-25
FACTS ABOUT SHELLS.
Where the Choicest Varieties Come Fron
and What They Are Worth.


and What They Are Worth.
There are only a few people who know
any thing about the beauty of color and
form in shells, yet Ruskin ranks the
nacre of shell far above the colors OF
! jewels excepting only the opal in it's
native rock. Among rare shells the
thorny or porcupine clam, which is
found in nature in all variety of shades
from a rich crimson to pale rose
flushed white, and in pure white, is one
of the most expensive. Good specimens
in which all the spines are perfect and
the color beautiful, shaded rich in the
shadow and delicate and tender in the
light bring often $25. Smaller, less
perfect shells are S. and So. Sea trum-
pets notified in shades of brown are
sought after by collectors of curios and
fine specimens readily bring $50.
Those strengthening shells with
many horns are sea scorpions" said
shell dealer talking of his wares, ''these
little ones are spider shells. The num-
Der of horns varies with the place where
the shell is found. This one you see
has only six horns while this has eight
and this one seven. They all came
from different locations. They are
worth about 81 each. This shell (hold-
ing up an exquisite crumpled SHELF is
mureX from the Mediterranean Ocean.
We have black and white, pure white
like this one, white touched with rose
color, and crimson like this" He took
up last a beautiful murex shaded in
rose-colors and bringing to mind the
roseate purple dyes which the Syrians
obtained from the liquids secreted by a
species of this mollusk.
''Such Shells" continued tho dealer.
''are one and two dollars each, according
to their quality. This small whorled
shell is music shell; if you look at it
closely you will notice very fair repro
duction of bar Of music with notes.
This small shell is in the shape of
harp and takes its name from that, and
this specimen is tent shell; the black
and brown lines on it's surface look
something like field of tents. This
long-spiked shell is pearl oyster from
the Mediterranean, and this is an olive
she'll. This is an ear shell, the opening
singularly shaped like the human ear"
The dealer now displayed number of
beautiful whorled fiat shells of exquis-
tie mother-of-pearl. Some were cut out
and traced near the opening in a pattern
resembling Honiton lace and mounted
on piece of shell as base. "These."
he said, ''are nautilus shells. They come
chiefly from the Indian Ocean and are
brought here by sailors, who sink the
rough shells in any decaying part of the
fruit that usually forms portion of
their cargo, and this fruit acid is strong
enough to remove completely the out
side coating that lies over it's beautiful
mother-of-pearl. The ornamentation of
the shells is also done by the sailors,
who cover the surface with paste and
etch the patterns on and out with acids,
sometimes tracing out the air chambers
in the whorl." The undecorated nau-
tilus-shell is generally preferred by col
lectors of curios and makes beautiful
hanging basket for sunny window,
where It's lovely iridescent colors can be
seen in their full beauty.
Beautiful conch or fountain shells are
also shown at the shell store. From
GuO WulCE Is Suduou Ill UQ0
loveliest browns and copper reds, shell
canoes are cut. There are also many
home-like, old-time cowry shells, which
recall the faint rose leaf fragrance of
old-fashioned parlors, where one or more
of these smooth usually notified shells
always decorated the mantel shelf
There is the notified tiger cowry, the
marbleized, and the serpentine cowry
and others called from their marking.
''Some of the sea snails in the Indian
Ocean produce the most beaut iful mother
of pearl, but after ALL" said the dealer,
cit is difficult to get good specimens of
shells in this country, and we have to
pay high for them when we get them.
London is the great market for shells,
which are brought there from Zanzibar,
Singapore and other ports under control
of the British Government. Very beau
tiful shells are also sent from NADIA
gascar and all coasts of the Indian Ocean
and from the Mediterranean Y.
Tribune.