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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Bronwen, post: 11573584, member: 5833&quot;]I don&#039;t quite understand this question.&nbsp; I think we are not using the same definitions for the terms.&nbsp; For me, MOP = nacre.&nbsp; Nacre = the iridescent lining many mollusks produce to wear next to their bodies.&nbsp; (All produce a smooth inner layer, but we do not consider all equally attractive.)&nbsp; Abalone = one of the mollusks that produce nacre.</p><p><br /></p><p>I do not know of any mollusk that produces nacre that is black in the way that the engraved piece that started this train of thought is black.&nbsp; If you look at photos of &#039;black&#039; Tahitian pearls, produced by the black lip oyster, they are much more colorful than this.&nbsp; The various abalone species produce nacre that ranges from pastel glints in white to a riot of bright colors, like some black opal; I have never seen abalone nacre that was actually black.</p><p><br /></p><p>The most economical source for sections of nacre to be used for engraving would be freshwater clams.&nbsp; Plentiful, easy to harvest, sturdy, large.&nbsp; I can&#039;t recall ever seeing an item promoted as deserving of a premium price based on the source of the nacre.&nbsp; (Not talking Renaissance footed cups made with nautilus shell here.)</p><p><br /></p><p>These are mass produced using genuine shell that looks like abalone to me:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]545327[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]545328[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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