VOLUTES

[pilsbryi]

Since i colect shells i staired at this family as the ultimate challenge.  Most specimens became more easier to get in recent years, and there is always the quality problem.

I am not reffering to natural flaws such as a tip broken, a scar or a notch on some spine.

The demand for flawless specimens, or simply aesthetical appearence leads to the famous trimmed lip. If it is partialy and a well done job thats fine, but sometimes appear cases that are just a pitty how someone could do such to a shell.

It is common to watch in the genus Scaphella, described as lips always "smoothened" or "trimmed" and stated in some cases as "gem" ! .

I had the luck to get a Scaphella dubia kieneri 100% natural. In this case i could say that someone had the good sense not to spoil what nature created.

Besides this i have a S. dubia ; one butleri and two junonias, all with trimmed lips.  

In some cases there is no choice at all for those who collect these lovely creatures.

I think that happens the same with some Conidae, but it is not so evident. Maybe some Volutes are staired as decorative, instead of serious collectable items.

Kind regards to all

JOSE BENTO

[dave r]

I agree Jose, I have seen such shells offered as 'Gem' even when the lip filing is obvious. I too have a kieneri but mine is gem, no lip smoothing necessary. Likewise my junonia but I have always found perfect specimens of that are easy to get....at a price!
The worst examples I think are the Strombs, I have seen Strombus gigas with hardly any lip where it has been so filed down to smooth it. Others are goliath and latissimus, anything with a broad, flaring lip that has a few chips gets smoothed. Personally I would rather have an example with some lip chips than a filed one, same with the cones. I have a huge S. goliath with a chipped lip and one with a filed lip, guess which I prefer?
Dave