Name/Title
Octagonal Shell Art, "Sailor'sValentine"Entry/Object ID
LH.2022.001.033Description
Octagonal wooden box with intricate shell work. The shells are designed to look a flower, with 6 petals and pink interior. Small white, brown, and pink shells are incorporated into the design. The box is made of a dark wood and appears to be well made. The glass cover has some scratches.
Attached label reads:
"A sailor's Valentine
To fill the long inactive (and boring) hours aboard ship, sailors practiced many crafts, among the shell arrangements such as this. These elaborate shell mosaics became very popular during the second half of the nineteenth century, so popular that they were produced in quantity in the West Indies, especially Barbados, to be sold as souvenirs to sailors and tourists.
Other crafts were Scrimshaw (carving and etching on whalebone), toys made of wood and bone, bone needles, and trinkets to bring to to their families.
of course much time was taken up with sail making, sail mending, repairing equipment, and repairing their limited clothing"
S145
