>ALOHA!
>I JUST RETURNED FROM 6 WEEKS IN ASIA. FOR THE 1ST TIME CHARGES WERE FILED
>AGAINST 2 CEBU SHELL DEALERS BY A FRENCH SHELL DEALER. HE BOUGHT A FAKED
>SINISTRAL CONUS VIRGO FOR 16,000P(ROUGHLY US$300). THIS WAS DONE BY
>CANNIBALISING 3 NORMAL SHELLS CUT IN THIRDS. THE END PRODUCT IS EXTREMELY
>DIFFICULT TO PERCEIVE AS A FAKE.
>
>IN THE PAST SINISTRAL CONUS AULICUS & GLORIAMARIS HAVE APPEARED BUT WERE
>EASILY SPOTTED AS FAKES. EXPERTLY DOCTORED SINISTRAL CYMATIUM PILEARE ALSO
>HAVE APPEARED THIS TRIP ENGINEERED BY THE SAME 2 DEALERS. LOCAL AUTHORITIES
>HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND THESE DEALERS BECAUSE A PROMINANT CEBU DEALER IS
>HIDING THEM SINCE HE PROFITS DIRECTLY OFF THEIR WORK. ONE OF THEM HAS
>APPEARED TO ME TO SELL HIS MATERIAL BUT I REFUSED. HE WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE
>BEFORE SECURITY WAS SUMMONED.
>
>BE AWARE OF ANY SINISTRAL SHELLS OFFERED. THEY ARE A WORK OF ART BUT SHOULD
>BE TREATED AS A CRAFT ITEM, NOT A RARE SPECIMEN.   MAHALO! CHRIS:)  c",)

Truly sinistral shells, held apex-up, increase in size from "right"
to "left"... and any sculpture or color-pattern does likewise.

A "sinistral" shell composed of bits of dextral shells should give
itself away by mismatches on sculpture or color.

I'd be most interested to see images of such chimeras!