A Coco de mer

Coco de Mers were originally found floating in the sea, hence the  name, since nobody knew where they came from and  it was believed by many to grow on a mythical tree at the bottom of the sea. Famed for their resemblance to the female form, European nobles in the sixteenth century would often have the shells of these nuts polished and decorated with valuable jewels as collectibles for their private galleries. The true source of the nut was only discovered in 1768 by Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne in the Seychelles, where it is now endemic to only Praslin and Curieuse islands where it is now a rare and protected species.

Natural History, Interior Design