Antique Mother of Pearl Carving and Decorative Plaque
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An antique carved Mother of pearl shell, and a decorative plaque, the shell late 19th/early 20th century, probably carved in Jerusalem or Bethlehem, the shell carved in low relief to the centre with the shepherds adoring the infant Christ, the borders decoratively carved and pierced; the black stone plaque inlaid in mother of pearl with a stylised depiction of the Taj Mahal, diameter 14.5 cm, (shell)
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- Mother-Of-Pearl - Mother-of-pearl, technical name "nacre", is the inner layer of a sea shell. The iridescent colours and strength of this material were widely used in the nineteenth century as an inlay in jewellery, furniture, (especially papier mache furniture) and musical instruments.
In the early 1900s it was used to make pearl buttons. Mother-of-pearl is a soft material that is easily cut or engraved.
Nowadays it is a by-product of the oyster, freshwater pearl mussel and abalone industries.
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