Tess Morley Octagonal Caddy

This hinged box is covered in a pattern of Ram’s Horn Squid, Cockle, Green Ormer, Nerites sea snail, and Cypraea Cowrie shells along with Snowflake Obsidian cabochon stones on a background of crushed anthracite. The interior is lined in marbled paper.

The intricate, shell-embellished designs of Tess Morley are exquisite examples of nature’s boundless beauty. Morley began creating shellwork sailor’s valentines as a child growing up on the coast of England. Today, an internationally-renowned artist, she continues to create shellwork masterpieces such as the obelisks, decorative panels and small objets d’art commissioned by R. Runberg. Morley also has dedicated much of her career to preserving historic shellwork of grottos and follies on properties managed by the National Trust of Great Britain.