More than just an appreciation of shells, this book captures all the artistry of theundersea world. Prized since ancient times for their beauty, shells appear in Mexicantemple art, on Greek and Roman vases, in Renaissance paintings and architecturalsculpture, and in modern jewelry and furniture. The artists themselves are thousandsof species of mollusks, which produce shells of infinite shapes and sizes: the polished,the patinated, and the peculiar. From porcelain cones and miters to coleus and whirls,the collectorG??s favorites account for barely five percent of known species (mollusks arethe second largest phylum after arthropods), and it is possible we havenG??t even discoveredhalf of them. They are abundant and widespread, living from the Arctic to theAntarctic, in oceans and in streams, ponds, and lakes on every continent. 
 
Product details
Publisher ? : ? Abbeville Press; English Ed., 1st Ed edition (July 1, 2008)
Language ? : ? English
Hardcover ? : ? 168 pages
ISBN-10 ? : ? 0789209896
ISBN-13 ? : ? 978-0789209894
Item Weight ? : ? 3.06 pounds
Dimensions ? : ? 9.85 x 0.9 x 12.42 inches