For years like most people, I have heard about the rare wentletrap that was
duplicated by the Chinese out of rice paste. Later on when prices fell, the
fakes became more valuable then the original shell. Much later some were
saying it was all a fake. I have the chance of looking through some old
Hawaiian Shell News, low and behold the June 1990 edition has the following;
Fabulous Fakes (with a picture). Beneath the picture, See the pretty
wentletraps. They have different colors. Note the ranges in size. A
millionaire's collection? Well, maybe, but not for the reasons you would
expect. All three shells are molded in rice-flour paste - an old Chinese
custom. HMS member T. C. Lan of Taiwan sent this photo of a set of Epitonium
pernoblis Fischer & Bernardi. Lan adds that specimens actually are being
sold - as Fakes.
Guess that clears up a lot of talk!.

Harry Berryman