Final firing from Duane’s net shed • In 11 active carts • 148 pairs left
Duane's One-of-a-Kind Oyster Shell Serving Plates (Set of 2)
Duane's One-of-a-Kind Oyster Shell Serving Plates (Set of 2)
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Duane's One-of-a-Kind Oyster Shell Serving Plates (Set of 2)
Shaped over one real Apalachicola oyster
Duane Pickron, 74, tonged oysters in Apalachicola Bay, Florida, for 52 years. When the bay closed in 2020, he started making plates from the one shell he had kept since 1989. Arthritis in both thumbs has ended the work. These are his last 148 pairs.
“Folks can’t eat an Apalachicola oyster anymore. The least they can do is eat off one. I don’t want these behind glass. I want them on a supper table with pecans in them.”
Duane Pickron · Eastpoint, Florida
What comes in the box
A matching pair in one glaze
About the size of a large oyster
2 inches deep in the middle
Packed by Duane’s granddaughter
What makes Duane’s oyster plates different
Every plate is shaped over one real oyster shell from 1989, not a factory mold. You can feel the ridges and the little point at the hinge.
In the kiln, the glaze runs into the deepest part and pools there like seawater at low tide. No two plates come out the same.
2 inches deep and 10 ounces. Dips, olives, nuts or a slice of pie stay right where you put them.
Thick and heavy like a real shell. Microwave and dishwasher safe. “It’ll outlast me,” Duane says.
Cat Point Sand and Dry Bar are named after the oyster bars Duane worked for 52 years.
Snacks at supper, rings by the sink, keys by the door. Most people end up ordering a second pair.
“Oyster plates have been on American tables since the 1800s, and the best ones always copied a real shell. What makes these work is the depth. A flat novelty plate looks nice and holds nothing. A true half-shell form keeps a dip or a handful of nuts in place, and a heavy glazed wall stands up to everyday use. They are practical serving pieces that also carry a little of the Gulf Coast with them.”
Marjorie Tillis · Curator of Coastal Folk Art · Gulf Coast heritage museum, Florida
Choose your glaze
Perfect for
Why Duane’s oyster plates last
- Real ceramic. Heavy and solid, not thin resin or melamine.
- Shaped from a real shell. True ridges and a wavy rim, not a printed pattern.
- Fully glazed. Smooth inside, easy to wipe clean.
- Everyday safe. Goes in the microwave and the dishwasher.
- Made to be used. Duane’s own pair holds pecans on his kitchen table every day.
If they don’t earn a spot on your table, one email to info@cedarandtinco.com is enough. Duane would rather have them back than have them sit in a cupboard.
Good to know: These are about the size of a large oyster, perfect for snacks, dips and small servings, not a dinner plate. The glaze pools differently in every firing, so your pair will have its own colors and pattern. No two are exactly alike.
Product details
| Contents | 2 oyster shell plates (one pair, same glaze) |
| Material | Ceramic with reactive glaze |
| Glazes | Cat Point Sand · Dry Bar |
| Size | About 7½ × 4½ × 2 in (19 × 11.5 × 5 cm) per plate |
| Holds | About 10 oz (300 ml) per plate |
| Care | Microwave and dishwasher safe |
| Made by | Duane Pickron, Eastpoint, Florida — final firing, 148 pairs remaining |
| Made so far | About 1,900 plates since 2021 |
The Last Firing
The Last Firing
A note from the net shed:
Duane Pickron worked Apalachicola Bay in Florida as an oysterman for 52 years. When the state closed the bay to wild oyster harvesting in 2020, he started making plates in his old net shed in Eastpoint — every single one pressed over the same oyster shell he found at Cat Point in 1989. About 1,900 plates later, 52 years of oyster tongs have worn out both his thumbs, and he can no longer press the clay or pinch the rim. 148 pairs are left. When they are gone, the shell goes back to the bay.
Free US Shipping
Free US Shipping
Free shipping across the United States
- Delivery time: 5–8 business days
- Every pair is carefully packed and sent with tracking
- Size per plate: about 7½ × 4½ × 2 in (19 × 11.5 × 5 cm)
- Holds about 10 oz (300 ml) per plate — the size of a large oyster, not a dinner plate
- Ceramic with reactive glaze, microwave and dishwasher safe
- 30-day money-back guarantee — just email info@cedarandtinco.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Email us anytime at info@cedarandtinco.com. We answer Monday–Friday 9am–5pm and Saturday 10am–3pm. Whether it’s about your order, which glaze to pick, or just to say hello — a real person writes back.
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Of course. 30-day money-back guarantee. Put them on your table, use them every day, and if they aren’t right for you, email info@cedarandtinco.com within 30 days for a full refund. No questions asked.
How is it made?
How is it made?
Each plate is pressed over one real Apalachicola oyster shell, trimmed by hand, dried for a week and fired twice. In the kiln the reactive glaze runs into the deepest part of the shell and pools there, so no two plates look alike. Microwave and dishwasher safe.