Cassis and Flame

[AMc]

The link to the Cassius shell story was beautiful~ I think you may have turned me on to a whole new blog! Thanks, I was fascinated with the story, and your pearls (which really do look alot like melo melo!)- I'll be sure to continue exploring that site- it's extremely well written!

 

[SteveM]

I'll be sure to continue exploring that site?

I purchased '2002 Sea Shells' for AUS$60 including delivery after seeing two used copies at Amazon for $116 and a third for $286. Neville has autographed it and shipped together with some 'value added' gifts to be discovered on receipt.

Definitely someone worth supporting. I took the opportunity to thank him for sharing that incredible tale.

 

[CLICLASP]

Thanks Steve, for the true tale concerning Giant Horned Helmet/Cassis Cornuta by Neville Coleman.
Last year I went to an exhibition about animals ' behaviours, and there were a presentation comparing the way of thinking of Darwin with another XIX c. scientist named Kropotkine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Kropotkin) who claimed about zoological theories on the mutual aid between all species.
Maybe not the right place for that topic, but it was interesting to see about studies that put forward behaviours of species helping one another in hard conditions. Not only the "struggle for life" with elimination of the weakest, we have been teached about, is the only behaviour found in nature.
I like thinking cooperation and sharing are also found in nature...

 

[SteveM]

Thanks Steve, for the true tale concerning Giant Horned Helmet/Cassis Cornuta by Neville Coleman.
Last year I went to an exhibition about animals ' behaviours, and there were a presentation comparing the way of thinking of Darwin with another XIX c. scientist named Kropotkine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Kropotkin) who claimed about zoological theories on the mutual aid between all species.
Maybe not the right place for that topic, but it was interesting to see about studies that put forward behaviours of species helping one another in hard conditions. Not only the "struggle for life" with elimination of the weakest, we have been teached about, is the only behaviour found in nature.
I like thinking cooperation and sharing are also found in nature...

Thanks a million, that's absolutely appropriate! I've just purchased the referenced Kropotkin title, Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution. I'll bet Neville Coleman is familiar with it. If not, I'll send one to him.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

...the many ways that aragonite crystals can be arranged to produce beautiful pearls.

I couldn't agree more. In the absence of an organic matrix, we sometimes get a better look at the deeper structure of the pearl. To me, accretion lines are every bit as attractive.

Aside from your collection itself, you really have this photography thing down, Steve.

 

[SteveM]

I couldn't agree more. In the absence of an organic matrix, we sometimes get a better look at the deeper structure of the pearl. To me, accretion lines are every bit as attractive.

Aside from your collection itself, you really have this photography thing down, Steve.

What's also interesting about this pearl is how the lines ('flames') in their swirls and eddies clearly indicate the influence of fluid mechanics?a feature that has been thought more native to nacre. This gets us into unexplored areas that are the subject of intense speculation, involving rotation (or not) of pearls in their sacs. This pearl has attracted the attention of scientists working on this problem?in like manner to our translucent, vortexed pearls thought to be Nautilus.

Re photography, I have a lot of fun for someone who won't spend more than $250 on a camera. And cannot deny having a sympathetic eye.

 

[Only Natural Pearls]

Really Stunning Images In This Thread....

Really Stunning Images In This Thread....

...which put my own photographic efforts really to shame ! Try as I may to capture the flame more accurately and in more detail, pics such as this one of a 10.77ct Cassis are severely lacking in quality. Fantastic work, and I am really full of admiration !

 

[SteveM]

Nice contribution, beautiful pearl! Thanks for sharing.

(I should have also mentioned my $10 tripod?)

 

[AMc]

Nice corona! It's very interesting to see the effect of strong lighting focused on one area of the pearl, and how the outer layers of crystal turn translucent under such intense conditions... it almost looks like a permeable barrier, with the flame falling inwards. The color is gorgeous btw

 

[Caitlin]

Both of you,
Thanks for bringing this to our attention in such a scholarly way! I love your expanding interests, Steve; very enriching.

 

[SteveM]

Thanks Steve, for the true tale concerning Giant Horned Helmet/Cassis Cornuta by Neville Coleman.
Last year I went to an exhibition about animals ' behaviours, and there were a presentation comparing the way of thinking of Darwin with another XIX c. scientist named Kropotkin…

Received Kropotkin 'Mutual Aid' and the very first chapter provides an in-captivity observation to coincide with Coleman's report from the wild:

Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution
P. Kropotkin

Chapter One: Mutual Aid Among Animals​

"As to the big Molucca crab (Limulus) [horseshoe crab], I was struck (in 1882, at the Brighton Aquarium) with the extent of mutual assistance which these clumsy animals are capable of bestowing upon a comrade in case of need. One of them had fallen upon its back in a corner of the tank, and its heavy saucepan-like carapace prevented it from returning to its natural position, the more so as there was in the corner an iron bar which rendered the task still more difficult. Its comrades came to the rescue, and for one hour’s time I watched how they endeavoured to help their fellow-prisoner. They came two at once, pushed their friend from beneath, and after strenuous efforts succeeded in lifting it upright; but then the iron bar would prevent them from achieving the work of rescue, and the crab would again heavily fall upon its back. After many attempts, one of the helpers would go in the depth of the tank and bring two other crabs, which would begin with fresh forces the same pushing and lifting of their helpless comrade. We stayed in the Aquarium for more than two hours, and, when leaving, work of rescue still continued! Since I saw that, I cannot refuse credit to the observation quoted by Dr. Erasmus Darwin—namely, that 'the common crab during the moulting season stations as sentinel an unmoulted or hard-shelled individual to prevent marine enemies from injuring moulted individuals in their unprotected state.' "

 

[SteveM]

A small lot of Cassis pearls arrived today that I post primarily because they're pretty, well-shaped with excellent surface and flame, the intruder a nice Kima (Tridacna) drop, also with impressive surface features.

Serves additionally to demonstrate a wide range of color for Cassis.

 

[pearlgem]

Wow Steve,
another impressive lot of pearls! Wonderful to look at and very inspiring.
Regards, Sven

 

[dngopa]

Just sharing. This is my friend's pearl. Cassis cornuta or Kepala Kambing in Indonesian. Weight 10.6 gram. This picture from my friend's MMS. Not a good quality photo because it take from handphone camera with VGA resolution. The pearl on match box. As soon as he bring the pearl to Bali I will post the picture again

 

[SteveM]

A 7.3 carat 8.5mm x 11mm Cassis pearl, with an underside 'fingerprint' one might imagine coming from someone's finger upon squashing an originally round pearl into button shape?

Need to look carefully, as unfortunately it seems I've reached the limits of my compact digital macro?will need to find a better imaging solution.

Spiral, target, fingerprint, etc patterns are linked to nacre and its special growth properties (SEM image at right of nacre 'sutures' from the paper The dynamics of nacre self-assembly 2006, Julyan H.E Cartwright and Antonio G Checa).

The same forces here appear to be at work in non-nacreous (crossed-lamellar) pearls, albeit on a much larger, visible scale. Specimens such as this are of interest to the scientists, as specialized research continues into the natural forces involved in pearl formation.

 

[SteveM]

One more, and perhaps no further examples will be required.

6.3ct button, 9.9mm x 9.8mm x 8.5mm.

Enough flames to burn the barn down.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Wow!!! That is spectacular!

 

[GemGeek]

.

Enough flames to burn the barn down.

I'll say!

 

[SteveM]

Cassis and Flame?

Cassis and Flame?

Thought we had seen enough here, but this power-packed 3.4ct, 7.63 X 7.93 off-round specimen is the embodiment of this thread's title.

 

[pattye]

Just when I think you can't possibly find one with more gorgeous flame-----------you do!!