Tortoise-Shell

It can be easily moulded when heated. The high lustre, translucency, and mottled appearance, along with its warm brown tones, give objects made from it an exquisite appeal. Tortoiseshell was already being used in ancient times for the manufacture of utilitarian and luxury items all around the world. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it was a sought-after material for works of art in Europe and was used, in particular, for elaborate inlay work (marquetry) with pewter or brass (a technique known as Boulle work).