Noble pen shell
c. 1630-40RCIN 932926
This large bivalve, common in the Mediterranean, lives buried in the seabed, anchored by golden fibrous threads which can be woven into a textile. The upper view shows the outside of the shell with an oyster attached to the specimen, while the lower view shows the shell opened to display the animal’s anatomy. The Latin name is inscribed on the drawing together with the common name of trombone di mare, ‘sea trumpet’.