Concha Venerea, c1745-1807

Description

Glass jar containing two specimens of sea snail or cowrie shell, Concha Venerea. From the Burges Collection.

Text on paper labels reads ‘Catal. Mat. Med. p. 112, no. 17’ and ‘CONCHA VENEREA’.

Lemery says that ‘They make a better white than Pearl, and are us’d in Paint for the Face. Besides which, they are alcaline, and a good Sweetner of the Blood, but are not much us’d in Physick.’