ANTIQUES RESTORATION

Antiques restoration may require matching a particular missing shell to repair a priceless old lamp or piece of furniture. Musical instruments often feature mother-of-pearl (MOP) inlay that may need maintenance or replacement. We have a large warehouse and may be able to supply exactly what you need to replace a lost piece in just the right shade or colour - just email us with your query and images!
 
ART / ARTS & CRAFTS
Artists around the world use seashells, starfish, urchins and other marine life in collages, mosaics, art framing, still life drawing, photography, etc. Natural objects like seashells are inspirational, eye-catching and can be implemented in countless way. Many Arts & Crafts applications require Polished Shell Material / mother-of-pearl / MOP. We stock a range of Polished round MOP discs (various sizes) in Paua Abalone, Black (Tahitian) Pearl Shell, Goldlip Pearl Shell, silver or rose/bronze pearly Oyster MOP, along with various whole and polished 2nd Grade shells that are fantastic sources of material for cutting, carving, inlay or mosaic tiles, including Polished Paua and Green Abalone, Polished White and Red Abalone, whole Polished Turbo and Astraea Shells of many different colours and hues.. Explore options via the Decoshells link - see Polished Seashells!
 

If you require shells of specific colour or size, we can custom-select for you. Do you need really tiny Seashells? We have a wide Selection of Shells available in tiny sizes, for individual or bulk ordering. Have a look at Mini Spirula, Mini Neritina, the Mini Mix or the Small Mix - see options via the Decoshells link / Seashell Mixes
 
SEASHELL MIRRORS
Hugely popular DIY projects involve redecorating old picture frames and turning them into seashell mirrors: Insert a mirror and decorate the frame with seashells - The result may be outstanding. Please email us a description or image along with the mirror size, so we can suggest the perfect shells for your project. Check out the Special Seashell Mirrors Pinterest Board for inspiration and ideas (we can supply ingredients for virtually all of them!).
 
SHELLS FOR KIDS!
Some seashells are more suited than others for children (less fragile, more robust!). Consider these options: Polished Chocolate Conch, Red Helmet, Tiger Cowrie, Polished Green Turbo, Arabica Cowrie, Polished African Turbo, Egg Cowrie - see also our FAQ info on Seashells & Kids.
 
INTERIOR DESIGN
Need a Feature Shell for interior design? Our beautiful super-sized Syrinx, Polished or Natural Nautilus, Giant Spider Shell, Giant Helmet Shell or a XLL size Bailer Shell may be just the thing! We specialise in finding and offering fabulous (huge!) Australian Shells that make great focal points and conversation pieces anywhere you care to place them. Each giant shell is strictly a one-off, unique item that we won't list individually online. Let us know what you are looking for, so we can find you a treasure!
  
JEWELLERY / FASHION
All jewellers, designers, fashionistas out there looking for anything specific: Drop us a line! What are you looking for? If it exists, we can probably find it for you and hand-select a small batch to your specifications. We already custom-select various types of seashells for jewellers around the world on a regular basis and find ourselves supplying shells in graduated sizes for fashion embroidery and dressmaking. See some amazing examples illustrated on our Seashell Style Pinterest Board!
 
SEASHELL COLLECTIONS
Visit our substantial collectors department where you will find all specimen shells carefully graded for condition and listed by their scientific name. If you're looking for a new addition to your existing Seashell Collection and are not sure of the scientific name of the shell you seek, just ask or send us an image of your request. Click on our Decoshells link for a look at Seashells and Starfish - although un-graded, what we offer in this category is accompanied by images and selected for looks, pattern and beauty - suitable for even the most sophisticated seashell display.
 
SEASHELLS FOR COOKING / FOOD PRESENTATION

Chefs around the world are using seashells for food prep & presentation, they cook, bake, make gratins and (naturally!) serve food in and around seashells. We've supplied seashells of various types to famous chefs and restaurants around Australia. Perhaps the most frequently ordered Seashell items for food use (as in: to use as dipping bowls, for appetizers, presentation, decoration, etc.) are the various types of Scallops and Abalone Shells. See our Decoration section for many available options and visit our FAQ section for info on how best to prepare your shells for cooking / food use!
 
SEASHELLS FOR HERMIT CRABS
Some Seashells work better for hermit crab homes than others.

Choose from pre-selected Mixes which contain carefully checked and selected Seashells in a good variety. We focus only on suitable shells with wide O-shaped or D-shaped apertures that hermit crabs naturally seek out and inhabit in the wild (i. e. Turbo Shells, Tun Shells, Moon Snails, Pheasant Shells, various Landsnails, etc..). We only select shells well suited for this purpose (no holes or major lip damage / not too heavy) and only supply very pretty, natural, untreated and clean Seashells for this purpose - currently available in in the following units / ordering options:

Hermit Crab STANDARD MIX: 10 Standard Shells, sized approx. 2.5-4cm (outside measurement) in diameter, variable species, $ 18.00
Hermit Crab MEDIUM MIX: 5 Medium Shells, sized approx. 4-6cm (outside measurement) in diameter, variable species, $ 15.00
Hermit Crab LARGE MIX: 5 Large Shells, sized over 6cm (outside measurement) in diameter, variable species, $ 18.00
Hermit Crab ALL SIZE MIX: 5 STANDARD, 4 MEDIUM, 3 LARGE Shells, size range 2.5 - 10cm, variable species, $ 30.00 (discount buying option)

 

Default shell sizing reflects the max. outside measurements of each shell. However, aperture sizes do vary and some STANDARD / MED size shells may have a comparatively large sized aperture. If you know what aperture size and shape (or shell type) you are looking for, please tell us when you place your order and we can select accordingly.

While the pre-selected Mixes generally are well accepted by Hermit Crabs, you may prefer to order 'a la carte' for your pet.. We can't select particular shell types for the pre-selected maximum-variety Mixes, but you can always head over to the Decoshell section to select individually from the entire range... Some shell types are available in different sizes, so you have lots of options.. 
 

SEASHELLS FOR AQUARIUM FISH

We supply Seashells for fish breeding - let us know if you are looking for a specific type of shell - email us! We may have exactly what you need - drop us a line and let us know your requirements. See also our FAQ info about Seashells for Cichlids.
Some Seashells work better for hermit crab homes than others.

SEASHELLS FOR CEREMONIAL USE
Seashells belong to the earliest objects used by mankind for ornamentation, ritual and worship. This is well documented in archaeological finds from around the globe, where shells are usually associated with trading and all kinds of ornamental, spiritual and mythical practices . 

Scallop shells are a traditional symbol of pilgrimage in Christianity ("Camino") to this day. Scallops have a strong symbolic link with St. Jacques / St. John the Baptist and scallops as well as other seashells are still being used today for christenings / baptisms. It's a lovely idea, as the parents can keep the shell after the ceremony! We supply seashells for christenings to many (mostly Protestant, Anglican and Catholic parishes) in Australia.

In Hindu scripture, the sound of a Chank Shell (a Conch Horn) precedes the spoken word. The direction of coiling of the shell is of particular interest for worship, as all sinistral shells are associated with the goddess Vishnu - and very much prized (i.e. such as our Lightning Whelk Shells) - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shankha for more information.

In Feng Shui practice and many other purifying rituals, a big natural Abalone Shell may be used during smudging rituals to burn incense (restoring balance) to purify and harmonise a space. These are age-old cleansing rituals, used and shared around the globe to this day. Notable examples include native Americans using their famous local Giant Abalone Shells to safely hold a burning white Sage bundle during a smudging ceremony.

 
In Greek and Roman mythology, Seashells were depicted alongside the gods Poseidon / Neptune (wealth) and the goddess Aphrodite / Venus (love & happiness). Associated with both and used as good luck charms for centuries, they were a traditional wedding gift in many parts of the world. The traditional Mediterranean wedding bonbonniere is simply a Scallop Shell filled with sweets (typically candied almonds), wrapped in silk and tied with a ribbon. Giving such seashell gifts or decorating a wedding celebration with shells is a beautiful, time-honoured way to invoke good luck and divine blessings for the bride and groom!

See our DECOSHELLS section for available Seashell options.