The 2025 BSCC Shell Show

Thanks to all who came to this year's very enjoyable Shell Show, held on 25 October 2025 at our usual venue, Theydon Bois Village Hall. For various reasons some regular attendees were missing but we were also joined by many welcome new faces. There was a buzz in the hall and animated conversations at the dealers' tables, fuelled by the refreshments supplied by Shirley and her hard-working catering team. The competitors in the Show maintained their usual high standards, and there were two displays dedicated to the memory of John Llewellyn-Jones, who so often contributed his own exhibits. Congratulations to the prize-winners listed below. Please do think about entering your own efforts next year – there can be no Show without exhibitors!

We are grateful to this year's competition judges, Tom Walker, John Batt and Ali Hartley, to the dealers who support the Show, and especially to Simon Taylor for his expert organization of the event.

Show results

Non-competitive exhibit		Carl and Craig Ruscoe: “Genus Melo”
One species	1st       2nd   3rd	Selina Wilkins: “Natica arachnoides” – winner of the Conchologists of America Award   Pedro Goncalves: “Charonia tritonis”   Dave Rolfe: “Strombus alatus”
One genus or family		No entries
British – marine, freshwater or land		No entries
Foreign – marine, freshwater or land		No entries
Self-made shell art		No entries
Fossils	1st	Brian Hammond: “Ammonites of the British Isles” – winner of the Scotia Shield
Shellomania	1st	Kevin Brown: “Sound Forth the Trumpet”
	1st	Rob Law: “Mother of Pearl – In Memoriam”
Junior – age 12 to 16 inclusive		No entries
Junior – age 11 and under		No entries
Special category – Something Small	1st	Ann Storey: “A Look at Dwarf Cowries” – winner of the Peter Oliver Cup
	2nd	Dave Rolfe: “Dwarf Cowries”
Shell of the Show		Carl and Craig Ruscoe: flanged Melo aethiopica – winner of the Walter Karo Trophy

 

See here for tips on exhibiting at next year's Shell Show, and for more information on the prizes awarded at the Show, see Tom Walker's article here.

Photo gallery

You may have spoken to photographer Joshua Atkins at this year's Show. Many thanks to Joshua for most of the photographs used here; others were taken by Ali Hartley.

More photographs on the BSCC Facebook page.