Dear Guido,

Thank you very much for this stimulating virtual exhibit. It brings up
aesthetic questions.

People are usually attracted to shells first as objects of beauty, and only
later as the remains of living organisms. If so, then what does it matter if
a shell is faked?

If the faker polished a shell in order to bring out hidden beauty, then may
the result be accounted as a work of craft rather than a fake?

Most fakes are probably made by only a few methods, such as polishing,
heating, and sun-bleaching. Could you please summarize these methods and how
to recognize when they have been applied?

I have my own opinions on these matters, but I am more interested in hearing
the opinions of others.

Andrew K. Rindsberg
Geological Survey of Alabama

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