Mathilde,

Your collection sounds exciting to see.  About a year ago I visited a
couple who have quite a few shells (four years of diving off of
Okinawa).  The shell cabinet in their living room was a riot of color.
The shells in there were without tags or labels, an anathema to many
devoted shell collectors.  They liked the wild mix of colors and felt
data slips messed it up.  They are young enough to still be able to
remember where they got each shell -- but even if not, a collection is a
personal thing.  Sometimes to really enjoy something like that we need
to bend or break some of the "rules" a bit.

The only real valid critique is of a collection that is not enjoyed.
Sometimes if we move outside the box, it adds a certain spark.
Personally, I want and need that data slip with the shell as my memory
isn't quite the shiny, stainless steel trap it once was.  But if you
enjoy your collection, as you sound like you do and as the young couple
certainly does; then how it is organized must be the correct way!

And on that cheap bit of philosophy, I'm outta here,

Tom Eichhorst in New Mexico, USA (with a collection so well organized I
lost all of my lambis for a very frantic two days!!  I misspelled lambis
as trochus, could happen to anyone)