Penshell is a mollusk found in the tropical waters of the western Pacific where the meat of this clam-like animal is a food source. When polished, the shell can be inlaid as a decorative veneer, cut into small sections, or crackled and paved on a variety of surfaces.
In its juvenile state the shell has a translucent amber color with dark brown spots and irregular flecks. When mature, the shell darkens to a rich brown, almost black color and is no longer translucent.
As a decorative material, Maitland-Smth artisans inlay the juvenile shell over fiberglass forms to take advantage of its translucent quality. Combination of young and mature shell sections give interesting graphic patterns when used as a shade on a lamp, chandelier or wall mounted light. Here you see individual pieces placed on a fiberglass form one at a time in a diamond pattern. Shown below is a finished lamp with a similar shade. Notice the way the light is diffused spreading a warm glow.
When inlaid on opaque surfaces, the polished shell has an effect similar to inlaid wood veneers of contrasting colors.
Believe it or not, this secretary is completely covered with over 15,000 lozenges of black and brown penshell. Imagine the hours a craftsman spends in creating a piece of this size.
Because penshell is readily available, is a renewable resource, and is quite beautiful, it is used to embellish small accessories such as this turtle's shell, or large, more complex pieces such as the secretary above, and everything in between.
For those who love the detail, beauty and variety found in natural objects, penshell will make a welcome addition to your home decor. To see the over 150 Maitland-Smith penshell items, visit our website at www.maitland-smith.com and enter "penshell" in the search tab.
Elegant and distinctive pieces for your home today with quality and style to last a lifetime... Do you have a Maitland-Smith treasure?
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