Not a shell but from the water, pretty sure

[Dreamer]

Hi all, I'm working my way thru a massive collection that belonged to my Great Aunt, born in 1910 and this has been packed away over 40 years. Labels (most) have been lost. So these were in with the shells, sealed in this little frame - I'm guessing they are from the water since everything else in there is. Hoping you can help, and will be asking for help with some of the shells too. Thank you very much

[paul monfils]

Are these dry specimens? Or are they soft specimens stored in liquid? From the images they appear to be small smooth spheres. Is that correct, or is there more detail to them that does not show up in the images? From what I can actually see, the only thing they remind me of is fish or amphibian eggs??

[Dreamer]

They are dry, no liquid and yes, tiny round spheres and some kind of have a raised line across some of them. I hate to open it but I may have to so I can get a close up. I had to make the pictures smaller so they would be the right size to upload here. Thinking I should open up the little frame they are in

[paul monfils]

You could also post a high resolution picture somewhere else, and post a link to it here.

[Dreamer]

I'm new to uploading elsewhere so just seeing if this link works for the original photo, then I'm going to take them out after bit and take another picture
https://i.imgur.com/4vayMcH.jpg

[paul monfils]

Link works fine. However I still have no idea what they are. They are not fish or snail eggs because those would have shriveled when dried.

[Dreamer]

Is there a clam or mollusk or some kind of creature that makes these things inside, like a pearl is formed but they make these things? They are hard as they rattle against the frame. She never left the U.S., lived in Florida a bit if any of that helps

[Dreamer]

I don't know if these will help at all but I opened the frame, quite a task that was! They are quite hard, I took a photo with flash and without

https://i.imgur.com/r5vkeHv.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/I9ah0gk.jpg

[paul monfils]

Almost any bivalve mollusk (clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, etc.) can make pearls. It is how they neutralize small irritating bits of matter that get inside their shell, like sand grains, etc. They coat the irritating particle with the same material their shell is made of, and continue to coat it repeatedly so that it gradually becomes smooth and increases in size. The problem is, such pearls, being made of the shell material, are opaque, like the shell. Your little specimens appear to be somewhat transparent?

[Dreamer]

Yes they are somewhat transparent, and this is going to drive me crazy because she cared enough to keep them (and seal the little darlings quite securely!) I'm so curious to find out what they are! I'm way inland so there isn't anyone around here I could take them to