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Tortoiseshell material

 

 
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Tortoiseshell material
 
 
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Tortoiseshell or tortoise shell is a material produced mainly from the shell of the hawksbill turtle
Hawksbill turtle

The hawksbill turtle is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in its genus. The species has a worldwide distribution, with Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean subspecies....
, an endangered species. It was widely used in the 1960s and 1970s in the manufacture of items such as comb
Comb

A comb is a device made of solid material, generally flat, always toothed, and is used in hair care for straightening and cleaning hair or other fibers....
s, sunglasses
Sunglasses

Sunglasses or sun glasses are a visual aid, variously termed spectacles or glasses, which feature lenses that are coloured or darkened to prevent strong light from reaching the eyes....
, guitar pick
Guitar pick

A guitar pick is a type of plectrum designed for use on a guitar. Over time people have made picks of various materials, including plastic, rubber, felt, Tortoiseshell material, wood, metal, and rock ....
s and knitting needle
Knitting needle

A knitting needle or knitting pin is a tool in hand-knitting to produce knitted fabrics. They generally have a long shaft and taper at their end, but they are not nearly as sharp as sewing needles....
s. In 1973, the trade of tortoiseshell worldwide was banned under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).

Tortoiseshell was attractive to manufacturers and consumers because of its beautiful appearance and its durability, and its organic warmth against the skin.






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Tortoiseshell or tortoise shell is a material produced mainly from the shell of the hawksbill turtle
Hawksbill turtle

The hawksbill turtle is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in its genus. The species has a worldwide distribution, with Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean subspecies....
, an endangered species. It was widely used in the 1960s and 1970s in the manufacture of items such as comb
Comb

A comb is a device made of solid material, generally flat, always toothed, and is used in hair care for straightening and cleaning hair or other fibers....
s, sunglasses
Sunglasses

Sunglasses or sun glasses are a visual aid, variously termed spectacles or glasses, which feature lenses that are coloured or darkened to prevent strong light from reaching the eyes....
, guitar pick
Guitar pick

A guitar pick is a type of plectrum designed for use on a guitar. Over time people have made picks of various materials, including plastic, rubber, felt, Tortoiseshell material, wood, metal, and rock ....
s and knitting needle
Knitting needle

A knitting needle or knitting pin is a tool in hand-knitting to produce knitted fabrics. They generally have a long shaft and taper at their end, but they are not nearly as sharp as sewing needles....
s. In 1973, the trade of tortoiseshell worldwide was banned under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).

Tortoiseshell was attractive to manufacturers and consumers because of its beautiful appearance and its durability, and its organic warmth against the skin. It was used in guitar picks because it can be easily shaped, has excellent bending properties, and is very durable – tortoiseshell picks could sometimes be used for years. Pique work, jewelry made from tortoiseshell inlaid with precious metals in patterns or pictures, was made during the Victorian Era
Victorian era

The Victorian Era of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the period of Victoria of the United Kingdom reign from June 1837 to January 1901....
 and was highly prized.

There have been a number of faux tortoiseshell materials developed since the 1970s, most of which mimic the appearance of tortoiseshell. Tortex
Dunlop Manufacturing

Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc., known to many as Jim Dunlop, is a popular music supplies company based in Benicia, California, U.S.A. The company is most famous for its wah-wah pedal, the Dunlop Cry Baby....
 is a material that was created to replace tortoiseshell guitar picks and has been widely accepted as a suitable substitute.

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