Descriptions of Swanks's shell blanks
Shell blanks are rough ground with 4 or 5 sides. Blank shapes are square to rectangular. Blanks sizes range from approximately 1 ¼ inches to 1 ½ inches square. Depending on thickness there are 6 to 9 pieces per ounce. Large blanks run 3 to 6 pieces per ounce and have one side greater than 2 inches long.
Note: Swank's sells natural materials! As with leather and wood, variations occur within color groups and types of shell blanks. When Swank's craftsmen repair or restore inlay work on a musical instrument or antique, they will attempt to match the color, figure, and other characteristics of the original material. When we fill an order for shell blanks, we hand-select pieces which will match if used as multiple inlays on the same project. However, we cannot guarantee identical appearance in natural materials.
Below are pictures and descriptions of types of natural shell blanks by grade. There are also shell laminate products called Ablam. Ablam is made from small pieces of natural shell which have been laminated into sheets. A typical sheet of Ablam is 5.5" by 9.5", and can vary by as much as 1/8 inch in either dimension. All Ablam is .060 inch thick.
• Second quality blanks of MOP and Abalone are occasionally available. Second quality blanks have a fair amount of usable area but will be small, thin, or of uneven thickness. They may have scale and worm holes. Please call for price and availability.
Swanks's Mother of Pearl (MOP) Shell Blanks
• Mother of Pearl - MOP shell is pearlescent, and colors range from white to silvery to gold, often including some figure and background color. Click on any of the images below to see a higher resolution view of the samples.
Below is about 1 ounce of regular white MOP. These sample blanks are .060 inch thick and size can be estimated by referring to the ruler in the picture.
Below is about 1 ounce of high color white MOP. These sample blanks are .060 inch thick and size can be estimated by referring to the ruler in the picture.
Below is about 1 ounce of high figure white MOP. These sample blanks are .060 inch thick and size can be estimated by referring to the ruler in the picture.
Below is about 1 ounce of large white MOP. Large blanks have at least one side 2 inches or greater. These sample blanks are .060 inch thick and size can be estimated by referring to the ruler in the picture.
• Scrap Pearl - Pearl blanks with designs cut from them, but still with usable material for small designs.
Order #148 at $2.00 per ounce.
Swanks's Abalone Shell Blanks
Abalone is classified by the color of the scale on the exterior of the shell, not by the color of the finished shell blank. Red abalone may contain green hues, green abalone isn't especially green, and while there is blue seen in abalone blanks, there is no blue abalone.
Abalone is often graded by the depth of the colors and figure, with consideration of any bullseyes in the blank. An abalone bullseye is a set of erratic concentric circles drawn by dark lines with gradients of colors between the lines. Bullseyes on the front side of an abalone blank appear to build up or be convex, bullseyes on the back side appear to go down or be concave. Abalone is also graded on the color intensity, ranging from pale to intense purples, blues and greens.
Some abalone has ripple figure, or parallel lines in the shell. Ripple in abalone is similar to the parallel grain lines of curly maple wood. Ripple seems to occur most in green abalone.
Abalone heart is characterized by congested nodules of intense color. Heart figure occurs where the abalone muscle attached to the shell. Heart occurs in all abalone, but heart colors tend to include intense greens, deep purples, and blues.
Select abalone is more colorful with more stripes and bullseyes than regular grade. Select abalone represents about 3% of the abalone shell harvested.
• Red Abalone - colors predominately red, deep purple, green, pink with stripes or bullseyes. Some pale fiery pink.
Below is about 1 ounce of regular red abalone. These sample blanks are .060 inch thick and size can be estimated by referring to the ruler in the picture.
Below is about 1 ounce of select red abalone. These sample blanks are .060 inch thick and size can be estimated by referring to the ruler in the picture.
• Green Abalone - colors predominately greens, pink, blues, purple with more stripes and fewer bullseyes. Green abalone tends to have more ripple than other colors. Pale green tends to be ripply.
Below is 1 ounce of regular green abalone. These sample blanks are .060 inch thick and size can be estimated by referring to the ruler in the picture.
• Abalone Heart, nodules of intense color, heart colors tend to include intense greens, deep purples, and blues.
(image of heart shell, TBD.)
Swanks's Ablam Sheets
• Full sheets of Abalam are about 5.5" by 9.5, but can vary up to 1/8" in either dimension. All Ablam sheets are .060" thick.
Below is a 9.5" x 5.5" sheet of Donkey Pearl Ablam. The sheet is .060 inch thick. This Ablam is made from pieces of pearl shell.
Below is a 9.5" x 5.5" sheet of select red Ablam. The sheet is .060 inch thick. Select red Ablam is made from pieces of select red abalone.
Below is a 9.5" x 5.5" sheet of select green heart Ablam. The sheet is .060 inch thick. Green heart Ablam is made from pieces of green heart abalone.
Below is anpther 9.5" x 5.5" sheet of select green heart Ablam. This sheet has a lot of purple, showing the difference possible within a single abalone color. The sheet is .060 inch thick. Green heart Ablam is made from pieces of green heart abalone.
Below is a 9.5" x 5.5" sheet of paua Ablam. The sheet is .060 inch thick. Paua Ablam is made from pieces of paua abalone.
Below is a 9.5" x 5.5" sheet of rim cut paua Ablam. The sheet is .060 inch thick. Rim cut paua Ablam is made from pieces of paua abalone cut from the rim of the paua shell.
Thanks for looking at Swank's Shell Inlay, Inc.
