The ShellA World of Decoration & Ornament
Ingrid Thomas
The world of the shell described by Ingrid Thomas encompasses a tremendous range of artefacts, from a primitive axe made from sharpened Giant Clam shell, to Maggi Hambling’s Scallop (2003) on Aldeburgh beach. Magnificently illustrated with over 500 photographs, the book begins with an introduction to natural shells before exploring their uses as tools, currency, for carving and as jewellery, then goes on to look at the shell – as material and as inspiration – in art, architecture and the decorative arts.