3D model of a pipe bowl (NHMW-ZOO-MO-0081100-ETH-051b)

3D model of a pipe bowl that is made from a turban snail shell which is part of the Uetz collection. This is a South African turban shell – its scientific name is Turbo sarmaticus. As the common name suggests, this species is found off the south coast of South Africa. The outer surface of the shell has been polished to expose parts of the mother-of-pearl layer. It was manufactured in the early 19th century.

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.