#shell inlay

[blondebrainpowered]

Soapstone with shell inlay carving of a whale effigy. California, United States, Chumash culture, 1200-1600 CE

[rafeny]

SIRENE Solid Shell Minaudière - White Shell

A Rafe classic! The SIRENE minaudière is made of solid giant abalone shell harvested from the Yangtze river in China. Owing to the organic material, every piece is unique and special. This style is comprised of 2 whole shells with yellow Mother-of-Pearl gussets, magnetic closure and a detachable drop in gold chain. It is hand-cut and inlaid by skilled artisans in the Philippines.

Measures 7.5”L x 2.5”W x 6”H

Magnetic closure

Detachable gold-tone drop in chain 23"L

Taupe faux suede lining

SKU# SQ7240635

Handcrafted in the Philippines

Store in the dust bag and the box it came with to protect your minaudière because shell can crack if it dropped or chipped if it is bumped against a hard or sharp object.

Rafe minaudieres are products of thoughtful and precise craftsmanship. We work with expert artisans from the Philippines. Each minaudiere is inlaid with shells culled from the waters off the neighboring islands. Trained workers sort and choose the shells according to type and size. After the premium shells are chosen, each minaudière takes at least 70 hours to make. Craftsmen peel off the outer skin of the shells and cut off all imperfections. The prepared shell pieces are inlaid onto an aluminum casing using colored adhesive. The inlay process alone takes 44 hours. The inlaid surface is machine-sanded, then buffed three times for four hours to reveal the final luster of the shell. After each buffing, the artisans apply a different component onto the surface, resulting in the perfect finish. For the Sirene minaudiere, two whole shells are painstakingly shaped until they perfectly match, and then attached to a fiber gusset casing which also gets another layer of shell inlay.

[quo-usque-tandem]

San Diego de Alcala - Mexico, 17th century

[rafeny]

CHRISELLE

The Chriselle minaudière is a new style that evokes with flapper fashions from the 1920’s. It’s comprised of cracked black lip shell inlay, side tassels and a twisted cord shoulder strap.

Measures 5”H x 8”L x 1.75”D

Magnetic closure

Fully lined

Handcrafted in the Philippines

SKU# SQ9000389

Store in dust bag provided and inside the box to keep it away from sharp objects and from falling as it is a fragile piece.

[rafeny]

ANNABELLE Minaudière - Red / Pink

Polygon minaudierein pink pen shell with red and pink lacquer.

Measures 8”L x 1.25”D x 4.25”H

Taupe lining

Detachable gold drop-in chain.

Magnetic closure

SKU #SQ7755274

Handcrafted in the Philippines.

[rafeny]

STELLA Minaudiere - White

The STELLA minaudière is a new Rafe style constructed from Black Lip Shell that has been cracked and hand-molded into shape. Its’ soft rounded rhombus shape makes it easy to hold. It comes with a gold drop-in chain strap and a flirty silk tassel that’s detachable if you want a sleeker look. It fits all your evening’s essentials; a cell phone, lipstick, and some money. It takes several days for skilled artisans to complete each piece.

Measures 10.5”L x 3.25”W x 7.5”H

Magnetic snap closure

Drop-in detachable gold chain

Fully lined

Detachable silk tassel

Handcrafted in the Philippines

SKU# SQ6190075

[rafeny]

STELLA Minaudiere - Mint Green

The STELLA minaudière is a new Rafe style constructed from Green Pen Shell that has been cracked and hand-molded into shape. Its’ soft rounded rhombus shape makes it easy to hold. It comes with a gold drop-in chain strap and a flirty silk tassel that’s detachable if you want a sleeker look. It fits all your evening’s essentials; a cell phone, lipstick, and some money. It takes several days for skilled artisans to complete each piece.

Measures 10.5”L x 3.25”W x 7.5”H

Magnetic snap closure

Drop-in detachable gold chain

Fully lined

Detachable silk tassel

Handcrafted in the Philippines

SKU# SQ7889781

[rafeny]

SIRENE Solid Shell Minaudière - White

The SIRENE minaudière is made of solid giant abalone shell harvested from the Yangtze river in China. Owing to the organic material, every piece is unique and special. This style is comprised of 2 whole shells with polished brass gussets, magnetic closure and a detachable drop in chain. It is hand-cut and inlaid by skilled artisans in the Philippines.

Measures 7.5”L x 2.5”W x 6”H

Magnetic closure

Detachable gold-tone drop in chain 23"L

Taupe Faille lining

SKU# SQ7240635

Handcrafted in the Philippines