A wooden casket covered all over in seashells, with a hinged lid and a mirror inside.
Every surface is encrusted with shells in careful patterns. Rows of small iridescent top shells run around the edges of the lid and body, and large scallops sit on each side, flanked by turret shells, cowries and dark mussel shells. A cluster of larger conches and ribbed shells crowns the lid, and cowries decorate the corners and feet. The shells have a warm honey and cream colour, with a pearly shimmer on the small ones, and the pale pine of the box shows between them.
Inside the lid is a mirror, with the speckled, silvered patina of old glass. The box stands on four small block feet and closes with small brass hinges. There is a keyhole on the front.
Shellwork boxes like this were made as seaside souvenirs and as sailors’ and hobbyists’ folk art. This one is full of detail and handmade charm. It works on a dressing table or shelf for jewellery and small things, or as a display piece in its own right.
