Warning !    This message is not for the squeamish. If you  just can't
stand the thought of shells arranged by color and you  feel the need
to delete, you'd better push that sucker now. I'm an artist. What can
I say ?

I have loved the  different color variations of shells all my life, so it is
only natural that I have them in cases of reds, pinks, greens, blues,
yellows,oranges,purples,whites, blacks, and black& white.Whenever
people come to look at my shells, they leave with a new perspective
and  an  admiration of the beauty  of nature.Forty years of collecting,
trading,going to shell shows,etc., have produced a continued fine
tuning of deeper, richer colors,more varied shapes and patterns for
the color displays. The blues and greens really take my breath away.

This is another way to get young people interested in shells, especially
since most kids up here in the Boston area have never really seen shells
with much color. Of course each one has its own fascinating story ,and I
 make drawings to go along with alot of them . When  I  show the display,
I have a slide presentation  of shells in art for five centuries. Not only do
people learn how the shell has been revered by artists, but they learn
how the shell makes the color, and how varied  in color one shell can be.

The rest of my collection is arranged fairly normally like everyone else's.
Well, almost.One drawer has star shaped shells no matter what family,etc.
Others have pectens of all kinds with unusual textures . There are shells with
dots,squiggles, lines ,shell freaks,etc.Then there are tons of unusual limpets
from everywhere.Again, they are displayed according to contrasting colors
and patterns,rather than scientifically. Same for pectens, land shells,carriers,
etc. Told you to delete, didn't I ?

I also collect children's books from around the world with shell fables,fairy tales,
native shell lore,etc. with major emphasis on beautiful and well done art work.
The most fun though, is collecting variations of The Birth of Venus. You can imagine
how many spoofs have been carried out . There are tons of serious ones too,
going way,way  back . If you know of any that you think I have not seen, please
write.

What kinds of collections , besides the serious scientific ones , do  some of you
maintain and for what reasons ? (Shell related )

That's enough  for now. I don't collect too much or write too much, hopefully.

Thankyou.

Mathilde Duffy
[log in to unmask]
Massachusetts