Rare.This is a particularly fine symmetrical example of a Coco de Mer Shell which has been beautifully polished and mounted on a steel base. The Nut and tree of the coco de mer is a rare species of palm tree native to the Seychelles archipelago in the Indian Ocean and through centuries has been the subject of various legends and lore. The largest and heaviest seed in the world, it was widely accepted prior to third quarter of the 18th century that they grew in a mythical world believed to exist beneath the sea, attesting ancient mariners tales of mermaids and enormous underwater creatures which inhabited this unknown realm.The striking resemblance of these unique, giant double coconuts to the naked female pelvic region was particularly powerful as can be seen in many early examples which were collected by sailors, who would often carefully smooth and polish the surfaces of the seed, leaving specific areas untouched and retaining the natural fibrous surface hair which served to further increase the erotic similarity.The combination of their rarity, unusual appearance and the belief that they acted as a potent aphrodisiac led them to become extremely valuable, greatly desired by the nobility of the time and later becoming a much coveted addition to any serious ‘Wunderkammer’ or ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’.Today, the Coco de mer’s source of origin, a rare and protected species of palm tree endemic to only two small islands in the Seychelles, is a National Park and World Heritage site, with collection of the seeds which take many years to form, strictly regulated and controlled.A fine example with natural exterior, sectioned and mounted to reveal the interior.Dimensions (Approximate)Nut (Upper): Height: 25 cm, Width: 24 cm, Depth: 4 cmNut (Lower): Height: 26cm, Width: 26 cm, Depth: 11 cmOverall Height: 65cm (Including stand)Provenance: This Coco de Mer was bought in the '70s as being 19th century on a later stand, thence by descent to the present owner.Shipping Fast and Insured Shipping