Hi Norman,
Hey, you've provided a little drama for the list! Glad to hear things worked
out for you. I looked at the image, and I'd say the inlay is abalone, my
guess from the color: Haliotis iris. That hue of blue is very distinctive to
that species (from New Zealand). Haliotis fulgens (West coast of N.A. from
central Calif. - Mexico) also exhibits blues, but most specimens I've seen
also have a definate shade of green mixed in.
Good Luck with your auction!
Ken Zentzis