Snail Shell Snuff box| Marbled Cone Shell

Snuff box

This beautiful snail shell has been used to create a snuff box. As the name suggests, it was used for containing snuff- powdered or shredded tobacco leaves typically inhaled, chewed, or held against the gums. It was at its most popular in the 18th century. The creation of these vessels arose from the increasing popularity of tobacco in the Western world. Valued for its medicinal properties and the effects of nicotine, tobacco was a revelation when it was first imported to Europe from the New World in the late 16th century. The snuff box ensured that the tobacco remained potent and became a commodity as coveted as snuff itself.

Marbled Cone "Conus Marmoreus"

Snails are widely regarded as a nuisance to gardeners but as creepy crawlies go, we would consider them harmless. However, did you know that approximately 40,000 species of snail exist? Not all of these are like the snails we find in our gardens. This particular snail shell is from a predatory sea snail known as a “Marbled Cone” or “Conus Marmoreus”. It has a venomous sting which it uses to defend itself and to hunt prey, including other molluscs and even fish. These snails have eye stalks but they hunt mainly using scent. The snail possesses a feature known as a proboscis. Within this is a harpoon. Using a muscular contraction, the snail launches this harpoon to catch unsuspecting prey. The shell size can range from 30 mm to 150 mm. It is found in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific Ocean, including the waters around Fiji and Australia.

Sources

https://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_Romana/aconite/marmoreus.html

https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/RP-P-OB-241

https://store.metmuseum.org/blog/the-spectacular-snuffboxes-of-the-met

https://www.animalia.bio/index.php/conus-marmoreus

Nat Geo Wild: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcBmMPJrrKk