Shells: Jewels From the Sea

Vintage hardback coffee table book celebrating the natural artistry of marine mollusks. By M.G. Harasewych, photographs by Murray Alcosser, published by Rizzoli in 1991. First edition, 224 pages. Ex-library copy, with expected markings and withdrawal stamp.

“A scientific and visual tribute to shells, this volume features over six hundred specimens—many from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History—presented in exquisite detail. Harasewych’s accessible text traces the evolution, form, and diversity of mollusks, while Alcosser’s striking photography captures each shell as a miniature sculpture. From coiled nautiluses to ridged volutes, the book reveals nature’s brilliance through both taxonomy and aesthetics. A captivating reference for collectors, naturalists, and lovers of organic design.”