Shells

by Leonard Erskine Hill

From the extraordinary architectural detail of the chambered nautilus to the varied hues of the senatorial scallop, Treasures of the Sea features approximately 300 color photographs of shells from all over the globe in all of their striking diversity.
However, more than just the fancy of beachcombers and collectors, shells have been appreciated and valued for centuries by many societies. Treasures of the Sea traces the history of shells in fine art and native crafts, commerce and trade, adornment and worship through detailed and informative text and fascinating photographs.
The science of shells has fascinated man since the early seventeenth century, and shells continue to rank high among today's collectibles. Treasures of the Sea includes information on early shell enthusiasts and the succession of collectors' "favorites" that have been prized and sought by serious collectors over the years. The book also features rare photographs, many published here for the first time, of the curious animals that create these elaborate shell homes. Information on the evolutionary history and classification of shells, as well as current data on collecting practices and conservation completes this splendid volume.

312 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Sir Leonard Erskine Hill (2 June 1866, in Bruce Castle, Tottenham – 30 March 1952, in Corton, Suffolk) was a British physiologist. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1900 and was knighted in 1930. One of his sons was the epidemiologist and statistician Austin Bradford Hill. His father was George Birkbeck Hill, the famous scholar and commentator on the works of Samuel Johnson, who at the time of his birth was headmaster of Bruce Castle School.

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beautiful, detailed photographs are a wonderful resource for my preschool students interested in shells in all their glorious complexity.