Seashells

Remember the childhood tongue-twister "She sells seashells by the sea shore. The shells that she sells are seashells?..."

A shelf in my office displays a small collection of shells, sea urchin spines and sea creatures in French antique specimen globes.

Coral mounted on a Napoleon III (circa 1853) wooden pedestal and a Napoleon III fish with mother-of-pearl scales. Victorian mirrors from London reflect the tableau.

My friend Gabrielle created this gorgeous bouquet of coral and shells in an antique French urn (photographed at her newly-renovated chateau near Versailles).

 

"One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can only collect a few. One moon shell is more impressive than three. There is only one moon in the sky.”- Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea

Comments

[Carole Mayne]

I love these images...We have decades of shell collecting around the world in vases, none as elegant as yours! Your quotes are a powerful reminder how less can always be more...As a painter, this is always in the forefront of my compositions, and I am usually sorry if I favor 'more is more'! All the best to you... (-:

[Marilyn]

What is it that intrigues us and captures out attention in a sea shell or urchin. Your collection and the glass domes too are just lovely. And the quote from a Gift from the Sea, love it and love this book.

[Mary H.]

Beautiful collection, Tara!

[jeanie]

So beautiful -- both naturally and also how you have them displayed. I do love shells -- that quote is a wise one. Yesterday I actually tossed lots of not-great shells. I said goodbye to them, remembered collecting them and that joy, saved a couple of the best. One thing I will never let go -- a lovely piece of coral from France (!) -- it's very special.

Flooding your heart with good wishes.

[Vicki in Michigan]

I love collecting things on the beach........

I, too, am sending good thoughts.

[Marken]

Lovely to see. Thanks. Sending good wishes for you and your husband.