The Kawamura Collection, the largest private shell collection in Japan, was donated to the National Science Museum, Tokyo in 1983. The Museum inherto holds a fairly large shell collection of accumulated reference specimens since it was established. But the Museum has never had experience with such a huge donation of a shell collection of the highest quality. The National Science Museum gave a special exhibition (“Shells of the World – Commemoration of the Kawamura Collection”) cosponsored by the Malacological Society of Japan during April 26 to June 19,1983. This special exhibition was seen by the late Emperor Showa. In connection with this exhibition, an illustrated booklet (“World seashells of rarity and beauty”) was published. It contained 48 plates of 407 rare and beautiful seashells selected from the Kawamura Collection.

Languages: English and Japanese

Edition: 1991