Commemorative souvenir shell

This shell was gifted to Queen Mary (1867-1953) by Captain Harry Parker in 1949. It was engraved in 1851 and includes a representation of the Great Exhibition building. This image has been copied from one of the popular engraved prospects of the Crystal Palace found in illustrated magazines and books. Other engraved details include a two-verse poem and two inscriptions and a foul-anchor (the emblem of the Admiralty) enclosed by a wreath of flowers.
The shell, perhaps from the species Turbo marmoratus, is entirely intact, and mostly coated in mother of pearl. The illustration and text were presumably incised with a penknife, and inked in black, in the manner of scrimshaw. Although the handiwork is unsigned, the work on the shell was probably executed by Charles H. Wood. Not much is known about Wood but he seems to have executed his first carving as a presentation to Queen Victoria as evidenced by the following extract from Dietrichsen & Hanny's Royal Almanack: "In January of the year 1845 Her Majesty presented to a mechanic named Charles Wood, residing in Harp Court, Farringdon Street, London, a proof print of Hayter's celebrated picture of the coronation in a beautiful gilt frame, richly ornamented with leaves, in return for a nautilus shell on which were engraved arms of the Great Britain and Great Western Steamships, the Royal Arms and other devices, all executed with only one instrument, namely a pen-knife". Contemporary records also mention that his engraved shell penwork could be seen at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and the International Exhibition of 1862. It is likely this shell was on display at the Great Exhibition of 1851. Wood is also known to have executed designs on shells depicting the steamships Great Britain, Great Eastern and Great Western. He subsequently presented engraved shells to the Lord Mayors of London and York. It is unclear whether Wood's productions were solely intended for individual presentation or whether some were actually sold for profit. There is some evidence that his work was sold in the ports of New York and Sydney, and he apparently travelled to America on board the steam ship Leviathan and set up shop on the dockside, selling signed cameo shells as souvenirs.