Ornamentation consisting of shells cemented on to a surface.
Example sentencesExamples
The armchair's densely carved scallops and shellwork, rosebuds, floral bouquets, and cartouche-shaped back are loosely based on the rococo style as reinterpreted in French pattern books of the mid-nineteenth century.
The shellwork is of such sophistication that it is hard to imagine that professional assistance was not sought.
Considering how popular shellwork was in Britain, it is not surprising that this form of ornamentation appealed to some well-to-do colonial Americans.
However the fact that these two shadow-box grottoes were made by mature women suggests that shellwork was an amusing pastime for women of education and wealth.
Definition of shellwork in US English:
shellwork
nounˈSHelˌwərk
Ornamentation consisting of shells cemented on to a surface.
Example sentencesExamples
The armchair's densely carved scallops and shellwork, rosebuds, floral bouquets, and cartouche-shaped back are loosely based on the rococo style as reinterpreted in French pattern books of the mid-nineteenth century.
The shellwork is of such sophistication that it is hard to imagine that professional assistance was not sought.
However the fact that these two shadow-box grottoes were made by mature women suggests that shellwork was an amusing pastime for women of education and wealth.
Considering how popular shellwork was in Britain, it is not surprising that this form of ornamentation appealed to some well-to-do colonial Americans.