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Steve, the conch shell is one of the "Eight Treasures of Buddhism" (Ba Bao in Chinese) and would have been used traditionally as a horn, to call the faithful to worship. The practice has roots in Hindu legend, wherein a conch shell horn or "Sankh" was used to assemble forces for battle (see Wikipedia for more). This one is in the Tibetan style, which is common as well in Nepal, where the Vajrayana or Tantric form of Buddhism also is practiced. I believe the colored inlays usually are blue turquoise and red coral. In my opinion, formed during a couple of decades working, traveling and collecting in Asia, the quality of work on this piece is typical of late 20th century tourist and gift wares; i.e., the chased pattern in the silvery metal lacks refinement; the stone chips are irregularly spaced; and the piece appears to have been artificially dirtied to simulate age. Rubbing filth on an implement made for religious ritual is incongruous to its purpose and repugnant to believers, though something modern fabricators often do to appease the curious Western mindset that tends to equate grime with antiquity. Regards, Bill H
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