Beautifully eggs-act

Showroom displays items made out of ostrich eggs

Ostriches, the largest birds in the world, played an important role in the lives of the Kalahari Desert Bushmen in Southern Africa. They were hunted for meat and skin and their very strong eggshells were a precious possession used as flasks for carrying and storing water.

Now these huge eggs, equal to about a dozen hen's eggs, enough to provide a nutritious meal for the whole family, are used as birdhouses, bird feeders, ornamental clocks, bottles and even lampshades.

Sky Horizon, a showroom in Karama, displays such lampshades made out of genuine ostrich eggs imported from South Africa. "This is a new concept in the UAE and our target is hotels and restaurants, as well as individuals," says Tarek Sabbagh, sales director of Sky Horizon.

The lamps vary in size, as no two eggs are the same. With no paint added, the natural colour of the egg is cream with a pearly sheen overtone, and once lit it emanates a beautiful translucent peach shade of light through the minute drilled holes.

The lampshades, which are manufactured in South Africa by a small business enterprise, Bay Production, is owned by A. Herby.

What began as a hobby when she and her husband migrated to South Africa from Germany looking for greener pastures, soon turned into a business venture. For Herby, it was love at first sight with the nine-foot birds whom she calls her "ladies".

Once the idea of producing lamps out of the eggs of her favourite birds was formed there was no stopping her. "She really loves these giant birds," says Sabbagh. "She never eats ostrich meat, and she makes sure that only the infertile eggs are chosen for production of the lamp shades."

Scanning of the eggs to choose the infertile ones is the first step in the production line. Then they are sent to the Herby Farm where they are emptied and scrubbed clean. Then comes the difficult part where tiny holes are drilled on the eggshells with a very fine drill.

"This is a very delicate job and it's during the drilling that most of the production damage, which is about 20 per cent, occurs, because despite the thickness of the eggshell, they are thin in some areas," says Sabbagh.

Finally, they are fitted on stands as lampshades, wall lamps or simply stood on a plate of sand with a tea-candle underneath to give it the beautiful African element.

"Ostrich farms are a growing industry even in Saudi Arabia, and ostrich meat is used for shawarma there," says Sabbagh. "There is a very good market for the egg shells in Europe, the Far East and America. There is even an outlet in Florida which is lit with only ostrich eggshell lamps," he adds.

The eggshell, which once sealed can hold upto 150kg of mass and looks at first glance like fine porcelain, is indeed a beauty to behold.