Abalone makes an excellent complement to silver and is popular in jewelry as well as items such as trinket boxes and ornamental silver items. Abalone are a type of gastropod shellfish.
Abalone are known by their colorful inside shell. This is also called ear-shell, ormer in Guernsey, abalone in South Africa, and pāua in New Zealand.
The shell of the abalone is known for being very strong. It is made of very tiny calcium carbonate tiles stacked like bricks. Between the layers of tiles is a sticky protein substance. Allergic skin reactions and asthma attacks can happen when breathing the dust made when these tiles are broken down.
The colorful inside part of the abalone shell can be used for decorative inlays often used in guitars, furniture and other items. Reference: Wikipedia
A pair of 20th century abalone, silver and parcel gilt pedestal cups by St James’s House Company, London 1984 The bowls of abalone shell supported by a cherub blowing a horn, height 16cm.
Sold for £ 237 inc. premium at Bonhams in 2016
Bracelet of silver, stone (jet, turquoise, serpentine), coral and abalone shell depicting with a central flat disc depicting through inlay technique a roadrunner, cacti, shrubs and mountains in the background. The disc is placed on round silver wire bent to bracelet form. Made by: Nancy Laconsello biography and Ruddell Laconsello Ethnic name: Made by Zuni Date: 1998 (September)
Ruddell and Nancy Laconsello are a husband and wife team who make jewellery together. Nancy Laconsello does the inlay, Ruddell the silver. They are well known for their bird jewellery.
Reference: © The Trustees of the British Museum
A LARGE MEXICAN SILVER AND ABALONE-INLAID CENTREPIECE SECOND HALF 20TH CENTURY, ATTRIBUTABLE TO LOS CASTILLO Modelled as a crab, the flat-stylized pincers with inlaid abalone shell, copper and brass detailing to the edges, the lift-off lid with beaded starfish detailed ball finial 36 in. (91 cms) wide; 11 in. (28 cm.) high
Sold for GBP 6,250 at Christies in 2014
Arts and Crafts Silver Gilt, Abalone Pearl and Peridot Necklace The elongated oval and square link necklace centering a pierced hammered gold shield-shaped pendant of geometric and stylized floral design, supporting a flexibly-set oval abalone pearl, accented by 3 oval peridots, flanked and completed by three plaques of similar design centering one oval and 2 round abalone pearls, circa 1905, approximately 30 dwts. Length 18 inches.
Sold for $2,000 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle New York in 2004
Art Nouveau – Arts & Crafts sterling silver and abalone pendant necklace c1905. Signed “LBJ”. 21″ length. Pendant 2″h x 1″w.
Sold for $225 at California Historical Design in 2018
A German parcel-gilt silver-mounted shell centrepiece, Eduard Wollenweber, Munich, circa 1870 the stem cast and chased as a dolphin-riding triton above a circular base of stiff foliage, scalework, shells and straps, the figure supporting an abalone shell dish, the base stamped: ‘ED WOLLENWEBER’ and 13 lot standard mark 22.5cm. high; 8 7/8in.
Sold for 8,125 GBP at Sothebys in 2014
‘Angel Chalice’. Cup, an abalone shell mounted in silver, with enamelled decoration. The shell is mounted with a pierced silver border of scrolling vine leaves and husks and supported on three shaped wires terminating at the rim with moonstones in an open claw setting. Enamel cabochons in closed mounts appear on the wires at the junctions of three shaped triangular frames set with painted enamels of angels with musical instruments. One of these is signed with her monogram. The wires come together at the base of the enamel panels, terminating in a cylindrical stem. The circular domed base is decorated with six cabochon enamels in plain silver mounts, with a moulded edge.
Reference: © Victoria and Albert Museum
