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So today I saw a large piece of black pearl. It was in an antique store in Seattle. It was about 4" in diameter "ish" and about 1/2" thick. I didn't get them to take it out of the display case, but was thinking it would be a good deal for inlay of course. There was also a goldish colored piece, both shells had the basic pearl look with some large areas on each of dark (black) and golden yellow.

So.... I am wondering if I should buy them, is this material that I could use or sell maybe? I will take a look again tomorrow, don't have my digital camera with me so I can't post any picks, but I'm sure that it is the real deal.

Help please.

Oh, the cost on each is $25.

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If you do buy it, make sure that it has a lot of semi-flat areas that you can work with, or that you have the proper equipment to level out the pearl. Very, very dangerous dust, though, so wear the protection.

unless you have a wet saw to cut it into usable blanks you will not be able to process the shell well. and as mentioned the dust can be dangerous like any dust, and especially so if the shell is old as they used to use a poison to kill the borers that leaves dangerous, toxic residue.