Abalone shells are often used for smudging ceremonies by the Native Americans in the United States and Canada.
These abalone shells have been cleaned, bleached, and treated in muriatic acid and/or dipped in a light coating of resin. The outside of the shell is clean, but still rough. They are not recommended for use in food consumption.
The sizes have been obtained by measuring the longest side of the shell with a flat ruler.
Not for sale in California, Oregon, or Washington State.
When exported from the USA, Mexican abalone shells are subject to USFWS export processing fees at overseas rates, not at NAFTA rates as one would think.
African vs. Mexican Abalone Shells
The cleaning and edging of the African shells is far superior to what we have seen from the Mexican shells. Often, the Mexican shells are varnished as well. From what I have seen lately, I much prefer the African shells to the Mexican ones. For the polished shells, there is not much difference in quality.
International Trade in Abalone Shells
We can offer large volume shipments of African abalone shells. Please call Paul Crosby at +1.416.232.0376 or write to info@chichesterinc.com for more information.