3D model of a triton trumpet (NHMW-ZOO-MO-0081100-ETH-169)

<p>3D model of a triton shell trumpet, that is part of the Uetz collection.&nbsp;This conch shell trumpet is made from a triton shell (<i>Charonia tritonis</i>) and fitted with a metal mouthpiece.&nbsp;Conch shell trumpets are among the oldest wind instruments and are traditionally used as signaling instruments rather than musical instruments. Often, the tip is simply broken off and a sound is produced by blowing into the shell, but in some regions of the world, the shells are also beautifully decorated or fitted with metal mouthpieces.&nbsp;The triton shell is one of the largest snails, measuring around 50 cm in length, and lives mainly in tropical and subtropical regions of the Indo-Pacific.</p><p>Karl Uetz (1914–1998) was a private collector and owner of a large mollusc collection. In addition to thousands of snail and mussel shells, the collection also contains approximately 200 art and everyday objects as well as ethnographic objects. The collection was purchased by the NHMW in 1974 and digitised in 2025.</p>