[J Marcus]

Say "Abalone Anomalies" 10 times in a row as fast as you can!
OK, couldn't resist.

As I mentioned at the end of the "Abalone Gone Buggy" thread, I've found some very interesting oddities in some of my abalones. When I've come across these in the past, I've usually set them aside to look at in the future, but hadn't given them a close examination or much thought. In cleaning and examining them to photo, I began to notice some interesting things about some of them. I've begun to search through all my stock of cut out blisters and shells and am finding more anomalies leading to more questions. I've come across at least two classes of solid blisters and maybe more. It may take me a while to photo, post and attempt to analyse these so it's not going to happen all in one posting or even one day.

When I first laid eyes on this first one it brought back a very clear memory of one very much like it that I had seen when but a young lad. It was in a piece of vintage jewelry, perhaps even my mothers' though I didn't see it when we went through her things after she passed away--maybe one of my aunts or even of my grandmother. It made an impression on me, that's for sure.

This first one I purchased from a local man who does a lot of inlay work with abalone shell. He cut it out and finished it himself and not the way that I would have done it at all, but still, I was glad to have it and he may have accidently exposed some of the answer to how these came about. The cluster measures 14mm X 10.3mm and the largest "bump" measures 6.5mm X 5mm. The back is the natural, original shell. The little ring you may see on it is glue that he used to attach it to a dop stick.

J Marcus
http://flyrodjewelry.com/home.html

[J Marcus]

Here's the second "Berry Blister." I found this and the next one in the same day in two shells that came in the same box. I haven't tried to do anything to it other than cut it out of the shell and grind off the back. Try not to notice the fingers and nails--making jewelry does terrible things to ones' hands!

Edit: I forgot to mention that the berry cluster is just about 13mm X 11mm.

[GemGeek]

Neato! I love seeing the mystery revealed.

[pearlescence]

Hi Marcus
It's hard to see from the photos but I'm interpreting them as that the faults/blisters appear to permeate the shell rather than be superficial.
does this mean that they are formed as the shell is growing, rather than as an afterthought to some irritant?

[J Marcus]

Patience, patience--all will be revealed. . . . or not. . .

Here's #3. Not as pretty as the first two--too much conciolin on the surface, yet with a revealing chip in said conciolin. The largest nodule measures about 6.8mm X 5.4mm and the pair together above the largest measures about 6.5mm X 4.2mm.

I'll try to get back to this tomorrow with some more photos that I think show the origins of these little objects. Looking closer at this one, #3, I can see that it bears further study. It may have more to show us.

J Marcus
http://flyrodjewelry.com/home.html

[smetzler]

Lots to look at!

Not sure if your comments addressed the blister in the attached isolation? Seems quite regularly shaped, impressively so.

[Valeria101]

The last one looks very impressive... Still in your hands?

[Caitlin]

That is the one I think would make a really beautiful ring.

[Sueki]

Oooh,
Very nice; and I love the backs almost as much. I'm a sucker for mother of pearl.
And it's fascinating to see how these are put together, too.
Thanks, J.Marcus

[knotty panda]

I spy, with my little eye, a beautiful Ichthus pendant.

[Mervione]

What exactly is conciolin? I know I was reading lots of it in the past but I´ve forgot most of it... Is it something with calcium in it?

[Ashley]

Conchiolin (aka conchin) is an organic/inorganic mixture of proteins- mainly of the Keratin class, and found in the human epidermis, as well as horn and nails. Brownish- grey, dark brown and sometimes green in color, it is the first layer of organic material laid around the nucleus or irritant by the mollusc. It acts as a type of glue, binding the concentric layers of crystallized calcium carbonate (nacre) together. Conchioline can also be viewed in random layers in a cross-sectioned pearl under a microscope, distinguishable by it's coloration.

The proteins are, to quote Strack: "fibres in a structured arrangement, and of so-called polysaccharides, a name given to sugar molecules with a complicated arrangement. Soluble glycoproteins regulate the production of carbon ions, which are needed to further build up layers of shell."

[J Marcus]

Originally Posted by smetzler

Lots to look at!

Not sure if your comments addressed the blister in the attached isolation? Seems quite regularly shaped, impressively so.

Soon--I'm getting to it. I put it there as a teaser. . .

Marc

[J Marcus]

Originally Posted by Valeria101

The last one looks very impressive... Still in your hands?

I still have all of these. They're not general issue so I'm trying to figure out what they're all about and arrive at some sort of value--sort of--kinda. . .

Marc
J Marcus
http://flyrodjewelry.com/home.html

[J Marcus]

Originally Posted by Mervione

What exactly is conciolin? I know I was reading lots of it in the past but I´ve forgot most of it... Is it something with calcium in it?

What Ashley said--only she spelled it correctly. . .

Marc