SHELL CABINETS 



A/TOST collectors keep their shells of moderate size and small forms in cabinets of drawers. 

 ^ I give herewith a style I have found very useful. 



The cabinet is 60 inches high, 28 inches across the front and 24 inches deep. This style and 

 size just makes 20 drawers as follows: 6 drawers 1% inches, 6 drawers 2 inches deep. Then a 

 %th inch strip across front to strengthen. 6 drawers below the strip 2Vz inches deep and 2 

 drawers 4 inches deep. Have made of white-wood, well kiln dried. The drawers will be light 

 to handle and will forever move freely. 



Large shell over 4 inches diameter it is best to place on shelves in a glass cabinet or built 

 in walls. If specimens collect dust as they surely will, they can be washed as often as necessary 

 with warm water and if unusually dirty, use sapolio which will bring back their original fine 

 condition. I have had many types of cabinets but the above, arranged in tiers, I found were best 

 for a private home. In museums, the problem is different, and they often use steel dustproof 

 receptacles, which are of course more expensive. 



Suitable trays for specimens I have found to be of the following sizes: P/2 by 2 inches; 

 2 by 3 inches; 3 by 4 inches; 4 by 6 inches. Two of one size equals the next, and they fit nicely 

 into any size drawer. The depth should be uniformly % inch. They can, when made, be covered 

 with any colored paper desired, glazed or plain. Small or minute shells can be mounted in glass- 

 topped boxes that are round or oblong, using very dark blue cotton. Another way which takes 

 much less room, is shell vials, which can be made by almost any glass manufacturing concern. 

 I have used 3 sizes only, all 50 mm. long, round bottom and they are universally called shell vials. 

 Smallest size 8 mm. thick, next size 12 mm., third size 20 mm. These three sizes will hold almost 

 anything you will want to put in vials. The labels should always be placed inside. I have always 

 used cotton in place of corks, saves room in cabinets and protects shells. 



The main advantage of vials is they take up so little room. There are many genera of small 

 shells of which you will only have five to a dozen species, perhaps all in the smallest vials. They 

 will all go in a IVb inch tray. There may be a genus you will have 200 to 500 vials, and they can 

 be conveniently arranged in trays alphabetically or nearly so. 



A tier of cabinets described above in Mr. Webb's Conchological den. 

 There is another similar row to left. 



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