Couple of salt workers in shells (two globes)

A pair of salt workers from Le Bourg de Batz-sur-mer. This couple has the unusual feature of being under two different globes, which is very rare. Made of shells. Late 19th century.

Very rare... A folk art object, made in Batz-sur-mer in the early 19th century, depicting salt workers in full regalia. It seems that the shell craft industry, which began in Batz-sur-Mer at the end of the 17th century, producing bouquets to decorate church altars, found a new outlet around 1820 in the manufacture of shell figurines bearing the effigy of salt workers, thus spreading their images and popular traditions beyond their own region... This is a moving testimony to a bygone era, imbued with great delicacy.