A RARE 19TH CENTURY TROCHUS SHELL CARVED BY CONVICTS IN NEW CALEDONIA TOGETHER WITH ANOTHER

the Trochus shell outer shell layer removed to expose the pearl underlayer; carved with a band of roses above Renaissance style relief carving depicting a lion and a reclining nude man amongst scrolling foliage, inscribed 'NOUMEA', together with a further oyster shell inscribed 'NllE Caledonie 1902', depicting a house and trees in relief,

8.5cm high and 9.5cm wide respectively (2)

Museum comparable: See the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, New South Wales, Australia, Inv. No. 7378 for a similarly carved Trochus shell from New Caledonia. This shell was already in the museum collection by 1884 and so must pre-date that year, and the original MAAS display label states that the shell was carved by New Caledonian convicts. It is known that the penal colony there had prison workshops specifically to produce works of art to trade beyond the prison walls. A
collection of convict art and craft recently acquired by the Noumea Town Museum includes similarly carved shells. Noumea is the capital of New Caledonia (Nouvelle Calédonie).

Provenance: Marie-Claude Fabius, a respected London antiques dealer was passionate about her treasured shell collection, amassed over many years. She descended from a long dynasty of famous Parisian antique dealers.