3D model of a wooden tray with mother-of-pearl inlays (NHMW-ZOO-MO-0081100-ETH-075)

3D model of a wooden tray with mother-of-pearl inlays, that is part of the Uetz collection. The art of inserting pieces of mother-of-pearl into wooden objects has a long tradition. To do this, the innermost parts of the shell – usually from pearl oysters – are cut into various shapes. The outlines are then carved into the wood and the mother-of-pearl pieces are inlaid into the wood. Craftsmen prefer to use dark-coloured woods to create a contrast with the white of the mother-of-pearl. Geometric, floral and calligraphic motifs are often used for decoration.

Karl Uetz (1914–1998) was a private collector and owner of a large mollusc collection. In addition to thousands of snail and mussel shells, the collection also contains approximately 200 art and everyday objects as well as ethnographic objects. The collection was purchased by the NHM in 1974 and digitised in 2025.