Ian Purvis began collecting seashells during a diving trip to Singapore and Borneo in1962. Now, over 30 years later, his extensive international collection reflects his diving career and includes examples from the Arabian Gulf, Bahrain, Middle East, Mozambique and the Caribbean.

In 1972 he spent four months with Dr. David Bellamy in the Egmont Islands, during which time he amassed shells native to the Indian Ocean and researched the paper he later wrote for the Natural History Museum, entitled "Marine Shells of the Egmont Islands". More recently he spent several months diving for treasure in the Cape Verde Islands and collected several species of cowrie and cone shells. He won a display award from the British Shell Collector's Club in 1978 and often gives presentations on sea shells to various clubs and interested groups around the Swindon area. He has an extensive library of shell books and has numerous contacts among the British and International collecting fraternity - especially in America - with whom he swaps, trades and sells shells. 

Ian, who was once stung by a potentially lethal conus geographicas, hopes to have time to catalogue his several cabinets and hundreds of bags of shells when he retires. He would be delighted to hear from other collectors and answer your questions regarding tropical shells.

Contact him at: ian.purvis@btinternet.com