A bouquet in a wicker basket; the flowers are made of finely assembled seashells (with imperfections and missing pieces), and the leaves are made of fabric or leather. The bouquet is embellished with newspaper clippings and colored paper. The piece is displayed under a large cylindrical glass dome and rests on a turned and blackened wooden base. Work of a salt worker, mid-19th century. Height (with dome): 46 cm – Diameter: 36 cm Note: Originating in Batz-sur-Mer in the late 17th century to adorn church altars with floral bouquets, this craft of creating shell figurines depicting salt workers gradually lost its religious function and became purely decorative around 1820. It actively contributed to the region’s economic growth until 1880 and also helped spread the image and folk traditions of this community far beyond its borders.