Shell Sculptures

A captivating work of natural artistry, this vintage shell-encased bird sculpture is a true testament to craftsmanship. Suspended gracefully within a sleek black metal hoop, this uni...

Ruler Selenite with an 18th century Italian gold leaf fragment and natural forming baroque pearls on a lucite base. Ruler selenite or "selenite logs" are single, prismatic selenite crystals from Morocco that were formed in extensive beds by the evaporation of ocean brine. This mineral is characterized by a silky, pearly luster called satin spar. The piece is put together by Jean O'Reilly Barlow, the artist and creative director of Interi. The date of manufacture reflects when she created the piece and the period shows that the Italian fragment is originally 18th century. Interi transforms Italian artifacts...

18th century Italian tassel on a polished calcite cube with coordinating natural-forming baroque pearls. This tassel originally came from a church in Italy. Many tassels were used to decorate churches on religious feast days. Others were commonly used to decorate 18-19th century French and Italian...

18th century Italian candlestick decorated with free-forming glass and baroque pearls on an Italian glass bobeche base. The 18th century candlestick is from Tuscany. It is hand carved and hand painted with brownish-red metallic paint. It is placed on an Italian bobeche base. Hand-molded freeform glass...

Organic modern vase with sculptural abstract form. Handcrafted from exotic materials featuring lacquered pen-shell inlays with geometric patterns in red and black. Comprised of pen-s...

17th century Italian fragment mounted with mica cluster with garnets on a petrified wood base. This fragment is from a church in Florence. It wa...

Mixed media sculpture, by noted contemporary artist, John Newman (American, b. 1952). The piece was first shown at the Tibor de Nagy Gallery solo exhibition show entitled, “Spoonfuls”, A series of small mixed-media sculptures. The unique expressive piece is constructed of straw, shell, cast acrylic, plexiglass, wood, papier mache, Japanese paper, aqua resin, gold leaf, acrylic paint, approx 9"h x 14"l x 6"w Provenance: A Private Collection: 888 Park Avenue, NYC; work appeared at the Tibor de Nagy Gallery, NYC. Solo exhibition March 26 - April 30 2016. About the artist (from the artist’s website): John Newman is a New York-based artist. He was born in Flushing, New York, and received his BA from Oberlin College. He attended the Whitney Museum Study Program in 1972, received his MFA in 1975 from the Yale School of Art...

Vintage mother of pearl animal is an original decorative object realized by Anonymous Italian artist in 1970s. Good conditions except for mi...

A pair of 18th century Italian gold leaf church altar vases decorated with fossil shells, siliquaria, and natural forming baroque pearls. The vases originally came from a church in A...

For customers that require professional insured delivery we are proud to have teamed up with a nationwide professional delivery company that will assist with coordinating your delivery needs! They offer a reasonable flat-rate fee for delivery and set up to the ground floor of your home. They deliver to the vast majority of the lower 48 states. They offer a flat rate for most of our items with exclusions for the largest or most complex items such as breakfronts or crystal chandeliers or other items of greater complexity. For those items please ask for a shipping quote prior to purchase as these rates are different from our stated pricing. For those items please ask for a shipping quote prior to purchase. Most deliveries to the East Coast will be 295.00, to the mid-west and Southern mid-west 395.00. To the areas west of Kansas 495.00 and the farthest points to the West coast will be 595.00. Again, some areas we can't cover, however we can deliver to most of the lower 48 states so please inquire to be sure! Delivery times range from as fast as 1-4 weeks for the east coast to 5-9 weeks to the farthest areas of the west coast, sometimes longer and sometimes even shorter. If it is a time sensitive purchase, we may be able to accommodate you for a higher price. It is our goal to please each and every one of our customers with the highest standard of service possible. You must realize and accept that we are shipping antique, vintage and quality used furnishings to your home. We cannot control traffic, weather, and acts of God. There will be times when additional patience will be necessary. This Mid-Century Modern MCM shell...

Contemporary Indonesian set of three oyster shells on stands. Beautiful natural patina. One measures 7" diameter x 13" tall One measures 7" diameter x 15" tall One measures 7" diam...

19th Century carved and painted wood figure of a troubadour or minstrel wearing a hat and long coat with his trousers tucked into knee-high boots and having a violin under one arm wi...

Sybil Edwards was a prolific Canadian artist who excelled in the field of decorative art over the course of her life. She honed her practice as a profess...

Circa 1960. We offer this Mid-Century Mexican Silver Plated Cup in the style of Los Castilllo in great vintage condition and fantastic patina.

Two little madrepora and shells composition on a pair of wooden bases: very simple that You can set anywhere. One is lower than the other, but they are both very pretty. I cannot wri...

Group of three nautilus shells with their iconic form, gold plated with a copper under coat wearing through as a sculptural element.

Scultura, busto Goethe, Goethe, busto scrittore, busto tedesco antico, arte, arte classica, arte romantica, busto, marmo bianco Carrara, scultura classica, scultura antica, busto ant...

An exceptional vintage Coastal bust of woman. A beautiful profile of a serene woman. A beautiful collection of shells wrap around her head and neck. Acqu...

Los Castillo Brass, Copper and Abalone Dish attributed to Salvador Teran Offered for sale is a brass, copper and abalone dish in the form of a whim...

A Specimen from Wuderkammer: a branch of blue Madrepora (Heliopora Coerulea). The Specimen, with various examples of shells, is mounted on a column-shaped wooden base with gilded par...

Hanging from strands of transparent wire, solar chandelier is made from photovoltaic modules that power LED bulbs to illuminate translucent materials of different kinds. The materials, size and height of the chandelier are customizable. Our team fabricates the entire piece in our studio at New Lab in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where we have access to the necessary tools. Solar chandelier is a way of investigating solar cells as perceptual devices for mediating light into designed spaces. This eco-friendly lighting design incorporates environmental technology while providing ambient lighting and projecting shadow patterns. The piece aims to demystify PV technology by exposing its components in a legible manner. With a passing breeze, the chandelier functions as a wind chime. It also functions as a type of solar clock; the translucent seashells illuminate automatically at dusk, highlighting biological solar rhythms and power. In its mix of organic and technological materials, solar chandelier's translucent seashells illuminate in a manner that aims to be affective in its application of solar technology. The seashells are electrically illuminated after dark. In the daytime, they are lit from the light passing through the window in front of which the chandelier must be placed in order to gather solar power...

An ostrich egg sculpture by Glyn Lockett with silver brass stem and the applied plaque with coral and seed pearls on buffalo Horn silvered base s...

Tall elegant tube shell sculpture designed and executed by F. S. Henemader with a dramatic form and striking bleached white color. Presented on a Lucite base to enhance the sculptura...

This exquisite Stork sculpture by Anthony Redmile is a stunning piece of contemporary art that captures the beauty of birds using a large sea shell for the body. Made in 1970, this l...

The shell, a marvel of the sea, is embraced by the soft embrace of fine leather, showcasing its natural curves and textures. Each meticulously applied leather detail celebrates the s...

Contemporary Indonesian stack of polished shells on stand. Decorative hand painted dark brown and cream circular pattern design. Interspersed series of flattened shell rings in shade...

Contemporary sculpture representing a funny crocodile made of finely chiseled gilded bronze and ostrich egg. Hard stone eyes. High quality work, excellent condition.

Sculpture with Seashells with Antique french base with bronze

Sculptural 18th century Italian base decorated with mica in matrix, and silver leaf shells on an antique metal base decorated with church vestment braid. The 18th century fragment ba...

Victorian Shell Obelisk with Tin Type Photographs This unique Victorian shell obelisk features intricate shell decorations and houses four original tin type photographs. While the p...

Incredible sculpture in wood, glass, lizard and eggshell by AIRIN CANEDO circa 1990

1980s Sculpture of a deer lying down with mother of pearl antlers.  

Sculpture with Seashells with Antique french base with bronze

Black shell necklace accessory on metal stand. One of a kind sourced from Belgium. 2 available.

18th century Italian candlestick top decorated with sunset cactus quartz and a baroque pearl. The gold leaf candlestick top originally came from an 18th century Italian candlestic...

A pair of ostrich eggs mounted on antique wood basis with metal studs. Origin European, Circa 1900. 

Contemporary Indonesian purse made of a multitude of different shells. All connected by natural twine. Very decorative placed in a bowl.

A very fine and rare Charles X period Palais Royal ormolu and engraved mother of pearl Statuette Sculpture of a horse. With an engine-milled ormolu mounted mother-of-pearl base Prove...

South Asian necklace. Piece from our one-of-a-kind collection, Le Monde. Exclusive to Brendan Bass. Globally curated by Brendan Bass, Le Monde furniture and accessories offer mo...

South Asian necklace, including stand. In my vintage, organic, contemporary, and mid-century modern style. This piece is a part of Brendan Bass’s one-of-a-kind collection, Le Monde....

19th century Indonesian set of two mollusk shells on stands. Beautiful natural aged patina from being under water for over 100 years. One measures 6" diameter and 13" tall One mea...

Solar chandelier, a customizable solar-powered lighting installation for the off-the-grid living room, comprises photovoltaic modules that power LED bulbs to illuminate translucent seashells to provide ambient lighting. The piece aims to demystify PV technology by exposing its components in a legible manner, so that the electrical boards, wires and batteries of the PV modules are clearly visible and comprehensible. Additionally, with a passing breeze, the chandelier becomes a wind chime. It also functions as a type of solar clock as it illuminates automatically at dusk, highlighting hourly solar and seasonal rhythms. The chandelier must be placed in front of a window to gather solar power. The Solar Chandelier lowers electric bills, eliminates wires and outlets, offers multi-directional ambient light, and casts patterns on surrounding surfaces like wallpaper. It can be customized to each setting.     The solar pieces by nea studio...

Wonderful Sculpture by the noted German born Tahitian artist Andreas Dettloff. The sculpture is titled “My Polynesian Heart” and dated 2003. It, or an extremely similar one is depict...

Monumental pair of Chinese carved wood brush pots adorned with mother of pearl and white bone details. Late 18th century. Brush pots were used by Chines...

Ostrich egg is 5.5" w. No cracks or repairs.

“El Asombro” (The Amusement) (2008) - Contemporary bronze sculpture by Manuel Mendive, who is an eminent Afro-Cuban painter, sculptor, and performance artist. It is numbered and sign...

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...