A nautilus cup with German silver-gilt mounts, Paul Solanier, Augsburg, circa 1703-09

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The practice of setting nautilus shells in precious mounts had a long history dating back to at least the 14^th century. One of the first westerners to observe and record tropical shells in their natural habitat was an employee of the Dutch East India Company, Georg Rumphius (1627-1702) who lived on the spice island of Amboyna cataloguing like a scientist and sending shells to the avid collectors in Europe. His work D’amboinische Rareitkamer, was first published in Dutch three  years after his death and was subsequently translated into French German and Russian
He describes the lengthy preparation of the Nautilus shell in Amboyna, how only the largest and cleanest were chosen, that the shells were pickled in rotting rice or some other acid for upwards of twelve days to loosen the outer shell and reveal the mother-of-pearl which was then rubbed with alcohol to make it brilliant. For a full description of this including the decorative techniques sometimes employed on the shells see: Hugh Tait, Catalogue of the Waddesdon Bequest in the British Museum, vol. III, The ‘Curiosities’, London, 1991, pp. 77 et Seq.