1000 Shells - Exceptionals from the Philippines

1000 Shells Exceptionals from the Philippines by Guido T. Poppe, Philippe Poppe & Sheila Tagaro ISBN 978 3 939767-56-5 published by ConchBooks, Germany in 2014, set of 2 paperback books in heavy cardboard slipcase, 897 pages about 16.75 by 23.5 cm (A5 size) (6½ by 9½ inches) with the exception of the first 25 pages of introductory material and discussion which are partially illustrated the remaining pages offer page size color photos and some description of 1000 shells, one to a page This book with a title that brings to mind Hirase's unfinished work"Kai Chigusa";(One Thousand Kinds of Shells") of which 4 of the 10 planned volumes were published between 1914 and 1922 and were done as fan folded woodblock illustrations. If we now fast forward 100 years we now have this book of 1000 shells from the Philippines that are presented in beautiful photographs. All of the shells in this book are included because they are rare and/or are in some way unusual that have been selected for inclusion by the three authors of this work who are well known experts in the shells of the Philippines. The presentation of one shell per page brings to mind Hirase's work but here we also have a written commentary on each of these shells with information about each of these shells and the unique properties that this shells has led to its inclusion in this book. While this is not an identification book (nor was it meant to be) it is most surely a set of books that belong in the library of anyone who is fascinated with the beauty and the variability of molluscan shells.