A luminous set of six fish-form dishes hand-carved from genuine mother of pearl, each shaped as a flat tropical fish with delicately rendered scale texture and graceful fins catching light in shifting tones of white, cream, and soft iridescent rainbow. Stacked, they form a sculptural object in themselves; spread across a table, they transform any setting into something ethereal. Use as individual trinket dishes, jewelry trays, or appetizer plates — they are as functional as they are breathtaking.
Time Period: c. 1960s–1980s
Origin: Philippines or Southeast Asia (consistent with traditional nacre and capiz shell craft production)
Design Style: Coastal / Tropical / Natural Materials
Condition: Very good — nacre intact and iridescent throughout; minor natural variation in color and translucency between pieces consistent with the material; no chips or breaks
Provenance: The Philippines has been the world's foremost producer of mother of pearl and capiz shell decorative objects for centuries, supplying the global export market with carved and pressed nacre wares from the early colonial period onward. Fish-form nacre dishes were among the most popular export items of the mid-to-late 20th century, prized for their luminous natural beauty and the extraordinary skill required to carve shell into detailed relief forms. A set of six in this condition is an increasingly rare find.
Collection: La Tropicana
Category: Tabletop & Serveware
A luminous set of six fish-form dishes hand-carved from genuine mother of pearl, each shaped as a flat tropical fish with delicately rendered scale texture and graceful fins catching light in shifting tones of white, cream, and soft iridescent rainbow. Stacked, they form a sculptural object in themselves; spread across a table, they transform any setting into something ethereal. Use as individual trinket dishes, jewelry trays, or appetizer plates — they are as functional as they are breathtaking.
Time Period: c. 1960s–1980s
Origin: Philippines or Southeast Asia (consistent with traditional nacre and capiz shell craft production)
Design Style: Coastal / Tropical / Natural Materials
Condition: Very good — nacre intact and iridescent throughout; minor natural variation in color and translucency between pieces consistent with the material; no chips or breaks
Provenance: The Philippines has been the world's foremost producer of mother of pearl and capiz shell decorative objects for centuries, supplying the global export market with carved and pressed nacre wares from the early colonial period onward. Fish-form nacre dishes were among the most popular export items of the mid-to-late 20th century, prized for their luminous natural beauty and the extraordinary skill required to carve shell into detailed relief forms. A set of six in this condition is an increasingly rare find.
Collection: La Tropicana
Category: Tabletop & Serveware
