For those interested in pearls I offer the following two items.
1) Pearls and Pearl Oysters of the World. Shirai. c. 1994.  This volume
details most if not all marine and freshwater taxa that have formed
pearls.

2) I believe in Oct. the American Museum of Natural History (NY) and the
Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago) are opening a major exhibit on
pearls and the pearl industry.  I attending a short presentation by Paula
Mikkelsen (curator AMNH) at this years Mid-Atlantic Malacologists meeting
and the exhibit looks to be a fascinating introduction to this area of
malacology and anthropology.  Along with the exhibit, they will be
publishing a book on pearls.  Working with Bieler and Mikkelsen are two
anthropologists from these respective museums thus assuring a
comprehensive treatment of pearls and their role in society.  I believe
the exhibit is to open in NY sometime in Oct. 2001 and move to Chicago in
2002.

Regards,
Charlie
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Charlie Sturm, Jr
Research Associate - Section of Invertebrate Zoology
                     Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, PA
Assistant Professor - Family Medicine

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