Shell Decorative Objects

Beautiful fish letter opener designed and produced in Mexico during the 1980's. This artisanal bottle opener, crafted with abalone mother-of-pearl and alpaca is a true work of art. A...

Brulé means 'burnt' in French. Raw and delicate, the Brulé boxes evoke the idea of baked earth or ashes. There is a powerful energy in the details of decisio...

Vintage Wai Hing Clocks Co. Chinossorie Black Lacquer Hand-Painted Mother of Pearl inlaid German Movement Tempus Fugit Grandfather Clock This black lacquer grandfather clock...

A beautiful Sea Shell of good size mounted on stand with metal rod... the base is also a very heavy piece of metal with nice detailing. The piece is a nice addition to any side tab...

This beautiful clam shell duck designed and made by Gabriella Binazzi, Italy circa 1970s. The natural shell is mounted on a silver plated pair of feet and decorated with a fantastica...

Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...

Mellerio Paris, A French Gold, Diamonds, Silver-Gilt, Rock-Crystal, Jade, Mother-Of-Pearl and Smoky Quartz, Carved Horse Sculpture, Jeweled Mounted Object. An extremely rare and unique, one of a kind French gold, diamonds, Silver-gilt, rock-crystal, jade, obsidian, mother-of-pearl, and smoky quartz carved jeweled sculpture "CHEVAUX DE LEGENDE", "A Legendary Horse" by Mellerio, Paris, circa 1991. Sitting on black obsidian base, the solid rock-crystal slab is finely applied with a carved smoky -quartz and jade horse with a harness mounted in 18k gold, brilliant -cut diamonds, rubies, turquoise, and amethyst chains and pendants. The top columns adorned with 18k gold and brilliant cut diamond pendants, the bottom with gold and mother of pearl plaques. The obsidian base with a plaque engraved: CHEVAUX DE LEGENDE" / N° 05 / MELLERIO DITS MELLER / PARIS / 5003 D The piece is in excellent condition and comes with a custom made wood case made for transport. It's very elegant and has French hallmarks throughout. A truly magnificent piece. Measures 10.5" high x 8.5" wide x 4" deep Founded in France in 1613 by the descendants of Italian immigrants from the Vigezzo Valley in the north of Italy, Mellerio is one of the oldest jewellery houses in Europe. The family business soon attracted the attention of the Royal Court and Marie Antoinette herself reportedly purchased a precious bracelet featuring 7 cameos surrounded by rubies in 1780. Later on, in the 19th century, Mellerio became the official supplier of the French Royal family and the Court of Netherland. Mellerio creates many jewellery items, all set with rare gems such as peridots, amethysts, aquamarines, citrines and topaz, applying for a patent, the flexible stem, a very supple and light jewellery mechanism. Mellerio remains also well known for their spectacular series of Art Nouveau jewels, created at the beginning of the 20th century, as well as for the creation of trophies rewarding some of the greatest footfall and tennis players of history. In 1993, the jewellery house launched their first watch collection. Today, Mellerio has stores in Paris, Japan and Hong Kong. July 14, 1789: this date is known throughout the world as the beginning of the French Revolution. According to a ledger belonging to House of Mellerio, this was also the day that the jeweler sold a golden key to the Comte de Coutance for 10 livres. This ledger, as well as inventories dating as far back as 1768, are the jeweler’s oldest archives. These archives have continued to grow over the years, as the House, established on rue de la Paix in Paris, still lives on today, still in the hands of the same family from Craveggia, in the North of Italy. The tumultuous history of the Mellerio family in France probably goes as far back as the Italian wars of the Renaissance, but the first official document proving their commercial activity in Paris dates back to 1613. This document is the famous royal warrant awarded by Marie de Medici to a number of Italian families established along the rue des Lombards, including the Mellerios, allowing them to sell “small jewelery items”, therefore granting them a small exception to the traditional monopoly enjoyed by Parisian jewelers. At that time, powerful corporations regulated the operations and customs of Parisian business, but thanks to this exceptional warrant, the Mellerios managed to escape the confines of this framework. Today, this wax-sealed document is kept at the city hall of Craveggia. From 1613 to the Revolution, the Mellerios lived between France and Italy. The corporations tried many times to put an end to their trade privileges, but all in vain, as a dynasty of sovereigns renewed the warrant. Always marrying and often retiring in Craveggia, the Mellerios continued to maintain their jewelry business in Paris. At first, they did this without a shop. Wearing backpacks (wooden boxes divided into small compartments where jewels were kept), they would tour town fairs around Paris and royal castles. This is how Jean-Baptiste Mellerio (1765-1850) is said to have sold a bracelet set with rubies and Antique cameos to Marie-Antoinette, which still exists today. Many elements seem to prove the veracity of this anecdote. The queen was particularly fond of cameos, which cover the entire background of her famous jewelry cabinet, and ruby was her favorite stone after diamond. The famous bracelet, reacquired a few years ago by the House of Mellerio, is indeed an 18th century jewel, set with antique cameos representing the profiles of Roman emperors. Two branches of the family were operating in Paris during this time, under the reign of Louis XVI: that of Jean-François (1746-1828), the paternal ancestor of the current Mellerios, and that of Jean-Baptiste (1765-1850). The French Revolution forced them to return to Italy. However, both Jean-Baptiste and François Mellerio (1772-1843), who was the son of Jean-François, were eventually able to return to Paris after the founding of the Consulate. Jean-Baptiste opened a shop at the Iron Crown of rue Vivienne, and François opened his at the Palais des Tuileries, rue du Coq Saint-Honoré. His well-organized order books give an idea of his high-ranking clientele during the “Old Regime”, among which were the Comte and Comtesse Octave de Segur, the Marquise (later Duchess) de Tourzel, former governess of the royal children, and her daughter, the Comtesse de Bearn, the Craufurds -who organized the flight to Varennes, the Duc and Duchess de Gramont, the Comtesse de Boigne, and Madame de Souza, Talleyrand’s mistress. We also see the names of the imperial family: Empress Josephine, the Queen of Holland, Princess Elisa, Caroline and Pauline. At that time, the House of Mellerio specialized, among other things, in the trade of antique cameos, a newly fashionable genre of jewel that captured the imagination of all the princesses and noble women of the time. The years of the Restauration and July Monarchy were among the most glorious. The Bourbons were back on the throne, and the clientele of the House of Mellerio had regained its former wealth. Mellerio supplied Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, as well as his mother, wife and sister, with sumptuous jewels, including a set of emeralds made piece by piece, while the Duke of Bourbon, last prince of the House of Condé, offered diamonds to his mistress, the scheming Baronne de Feucheres, and Monsieur de LaFayette also bought cameos for one of his granddaughters. For the first time, Mellerio ventured into the world of arts in 1815, when Carlotta Grisi, a famous dancer who created Giselle, as well as an actress named Rachel, bought jewels at the Mellerio store on rue de la Paix. 1848 marked a new turning point. France once again became a Republic. François Mellerio handed the company over to his son, Jean, and the latter decided to travel to Spain to build a new clientele. He later became one of the jewelers of the royal family, and met Eugénie de Montijo, who remained a faithful client when she became empress of the French people. The Imperial years were lavish. During the Second Empire, Paris was a pageant of crinoline dresses designed by Worth, while jewels by Mellerio, Worth’s neighbour on the rue de la Paix, adorned the noble women of the Tuileries court. The Empress bought pearls. Mathilde Bonaparte...

Embodying luxury, artistry and utility, this exquisite mother of pearl bowl is made with meticulous care to detail. Handmade with precision and masterful skill, each mosaic piece car...

Unique fabulous Sailors Valentines micro sea shells treasure box with central flower.

Impressive Antique Coromandel and mother of pearl desk stand dating back to the Victorian era. The stationary box opens to reveal a blue interior, infront stands two cut glass silver...

Amethyst slice with a baroque natural forming pearl on a polished wood base. This amethyst is rare in how large it is, its beautiful shape, and its l...

English Georgian Chinroserie bow front tortoise shell tea caddy with a hinged tiered lid, Chinese landscape mother of pearl inlays with flanking pagodas, fences, & foliage trees, central paktong plaque and escutcheon, bone fitted interior border with two lidded tortoiseshell foil lined compartments, and resting on the original four bone ball...

Large white crystal quartz geode split into two halves each with a large naturally forming baroque pearl. Geodes are formed as gas bubbles within volcanic lava. Over time, the lava ...

Whelk Seashell 12”W, 7”D, 6”H Half Clam Shell 10”W. 7”D, 4”H Horned Helmet Conch9”L, 7”H, 7”W

Rare Binazzi, Italy small trinket bowl. Natural shell combined with silver plated sculpture,  1970s, made in Italy. This piece is in excellen...

A fine and elegant Korean black lacquer and abalone mother of pearl inlay "longevity" box, circa 1930s, Korea. The box, most likely used to sto...

18th century Italian crucifix with gold-plated kyanite, calcite crystals in matrix, and baroque pearls. The crucifix is originally from a church in Liguria. It is hand-carved and pai...

This a monumental clam shell displayed on a Victorian black wrought iron plant stand. Both are very heavy and in very good condition. Plant stand: 12” triangle x 39.75”H.

Made of palissander, this lovely Napoleon III period liqueur box is lacquered in black, a method which became popular during Napoleon III's reign. The rose...

This vintage trinket box takes its form from a clamshell, its rounded, lobed silhouette rising into a gently domed lid that tapers to a subtle, naturalistic point at the crest, echoi...

Mexico, circa 1970 · Artisanal manufacture. Abalone is not worked: it is negotiated. Each fragment has its own color, its own flash, its own will. Whoever assembled this shell knew ...

Large impressive pair of Marine World encrusted candlesticks with sea shells, sponges, sea whip branches, corals, amethyst grid, other sea artifacts from Florida for Grotto style, to...

A 19th Century French Napoleon III marquetry box made of rosewood veneer with fine mother-of-pearl and brass inlay. The interior is lined in paper and the inside of the lid has a mir...

Authentic giant clam shell specimen with its iconic sculptural form and sea inspired colors and textures.

18th century Italian gilded crown with hand-carved angels. The crown was originally part of a canopy of a devotional structure or altar in a historical Italian church. The intricate ...

Veneered in Amboyna Wood From our Sewing Box collection, we are pleased to offer this Amboyna Sewing Box. The Sewing Box of rectangular shape veneered in Amboyna with a circular mo...

This vintage coastal decorative bust reimagines the classical reproduction form — a serene, idealized face rendered in smooth, sand-toned plaster — as a canvas for an elaborate shell...

Papier mâché circa 1870 English inlaid lacquered sewing box/jewelry box, with many Velvet and mother-of-pearl compartments, hidden area in center. Hand-carved mother-of-pearl, inlaid...

Large round Asian wooden box richly decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay. The lid features an elaborate floral composition surrounded by butterflies, birds, scrolling foliage and tr...

Enchanting antique English box crafted with a hinged top lovingly decorated with collected exotic seashells over a cardboard bottom.

Beautiful and tiny pill box designed and produced in Mexico during the 1970's. This artisanal item with abalone mother-of-pearl and alpaca, is a true work of art. It remains in perfe...

A beautifully detailed small Moorish style box, finely crafted in Spain and sourced from a shop in San Miguel de Allende. The piece features exquisite inlay work of mother-of-pearl, ...

"Cauliflower" fossil agate coral adorned with natural-forming baroque pearls and shells. Fossil agate coral is Florida's state stone and is known for its unique formation that can take place over 20 million years. It's a natural gemstone that is created when prehistoric coral is gradually replaced with agate. This is a complete piece of fossil coral head...

Antque collectible Sailors Valentines sea Shell encrusted miniature commode/ box.

Fantastic Atlantic sea shell professionally mounted on a natural coral base, artistically hand embedded with small rocks crystal pieces that make beautiful one of a kind object of ar...

A male necklace from the Asmat Village, Papua New Guinea. Large cone shells in concentric rows, seamlessly sewn onto a cotton macrame base, which has been hand-knotted around a sem...

Raised on Four Legs with a Domed Top From our Jewellery Box collection, we are delighted to introduce into the market this stunning Tortoiseshell and Silver Jewellery Box by William...

Here for your consideration is a large Chinese Canton bracket clock. The gorgeous ebony case is decorated with beautiful mother of pearl inlaid on the front. There are 5 brass pineapple form finials on the top to make the appearance of this clock even more impressive. The mother of pear floral inlaid can be found on the entire front section of the case, including the top crest, front door, and even the pedestal. The Roman numeral dial is made of porcelain without any cracks or hairlines. Engraved brass floral decorations surrounds the center dial. At the end of the sweeping second hand, you can find a Chinese double coin form, which represents good fortune and wealth. The time and the automaton feature can be seen through a large beveled glass panel. This clock strikes every 15 minutes, Petite...

A lacquered and eggshell case by Jean Trottin. An impressive and very rare case created in Paris, France, by the silversmith and artist Jean Trottin, circa 1925. This exceptional Ar...

An important and elegant natural history specimen of scientific and collector's interest, typical of European late 19th-century cabinets of curiosities. The composition is dominated ...

A striking decorative box entirely embellished with an intricate collection of natural seashells in ivory, coral, amber, and soft violet tones. Sculptural and highly textural, this d...

These gorgeous matched 10.75" handmade alpaca pitchers were crafted in Mexico and feature traditional all-over decoration in the form of inlaid rows of abalone tiles. The pitchers ha...

Maitland Smith Tessellated Horn And Abalone Fish Sculpture. Offered is a large Hollywood Regency tessellated horn, abalone and brass fish sculpture by Maitland Smith. See photo for l...

A beautiful coffin shape trinket box encrusted with shells. This box would be stunning on a dressing table, side table, or coffee table. Its hinged lid opens to fit miscellaneous ite...

A French art deco modernist cigarette case. This is a gorgeous cigarettes case created in Paris France during the art deco period, back in the 1925-1930. The case has been crafted i...

Organically formed Agatized fossil coral with unusual and rare coloring. As Florida's state stone, Agatized Coral is the product of a 20-30 million year process through which the co...

Sculptural 17th century Italian fragment mounted with a mica formation with fossil ammonites. The Italian fragment originally came from an altar candlestick from a historical church...

Cosmetic Vessel ‘Hinted Bird’ type Ancient Phoenician, Eastern Mediterranean, Late 7th - early 6th century B.C. Carved, incised and smoothed Tridacna (clam) shell 15 cm long 8 cm wide 4 cm high Provenance: Private collection, UK (acquired before 1983) This subtle, anthropomorphically carved clam shell, represents an ancient iron age cosmetic vessel made in the Phoenician region of the eastern mediterranean, during the late 7th - early 6th century B.C. ie. after the Assyrian occupation the region, and before the Babylonians. Perhaps due to this short period of production, only around 100 of these objects have been found, mostly throughout the Near East and Mediterranean, but also as far west as Italy (i.e. The British Museum example 1852, 0112.3 - Fig.2). Tridacna clam shells themselves are native to the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf. The present work finds a close comparison with a Tridacna maxima shell that has an umbo (apex) carved with 'eyes' and smoothed-down exterior (fig. 1). That object was found at the Great Temple of Amman, in modern day Jordan (Caubet and Poplin 1995: 492, n.21; Koutsoukou 1997: 147 - 48, n.185; Routledge 1997: 37, n.37, fig.7) and illustrated in Brandl (2001: fig.7, p.57). The style of both works is characterised by minimal carving and Brandl suggests they are part of a group called 'The Hinted Bird Engraved Tridacna'. Brandl also posits that the engraved Tridacna industry grew out of the withdrawal of the Assyrian's from the Phoenician coast, as shells from the Red Sea would have then become available through agents in Egypt. However, the period of production was only brief, as it seems the Tridacna production centre in the region was destroyed 50 years later by the Babylonians. More heavily engraved examples exist in The British Museum (fig.2) and The Metropolitan Museum, New York (fig.3). Further examples can be consulted in the seminal, 1974 study of these objects by Rolf Stucky: The Engraved Tridacna Shells...

Set of three graduated spheres with a wonderful eggshell lacquered finish in a triangular patterns. Clearly hand carved, none are exact spheres which only adds to their charm. This a...

Scottish silver mounted tiger cowary shell snuff box, 1817. The hinged lid is inscribed with "W. Legget Stock Bridge 1817," surrounded a laurel wreath,...

FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING Boulle stationery box by Leuchars & Sons, dating to the late nineteenth century during the Victorian period, circa 1880. The box is of rectangular form with...

Polished agate slice centered with natural forming pearl. Agate coral is Florida's state stone and is known for its unique formation that can take place over 20 million years. It's ...

Long ago, this elegant rosewood box was used by a Qing-dynasty lady to store her favorite pieces of jewelry, each drawer filled with jades, pearls, coral necklaces, and hair pins. Th...

The Paris based label has distinguished themselves since their launch, with their iconic use of shagreen mixed with brass and other exotic materials. All furniture is handcrafted by skilled artisans, ultimately making each piece unique, designed in Paris and produced in the Philippines. The set of 2 Carmen vases...

Impressive branch and cauliflower coral assemblage hand crafted in specimens with mother nature's sea inspired colors and forms. Presented on a lucite base to enhance its sculptural ...

This charming vintage cachepot is a delightful testament to traditional coastal craftsmanship, featuring a classic terracotta pot base entirely adorned with natural seashells. A meti...

Artisan ceramic Florida Sea cow Manatee family , sea shells and driftwood in a mobile sculpture.

In Renaissance Style with various shaped applied stones and strap-like figures in front and back, the silver lid opens as box.

Elegant picture frame by Tommaso Barbi, featuring a wide black surround accented with geometric mother-of-pearl squares at opposing corners. The iridescent details reveal subtle shad...

A lovely vanity box crafted out of Calamander with brass inlay. It is by the prestigious British firm Sampson Mordan & Co of London. The utensils feature mother of pearl handles and ...