About Us
Barbara Leigh
For many years Barbara worked alongside her husband Peter as a restorer of fine antique objects, many worked in tortoiseshell. Peter began researching the Jamaican engraved tortoiseshell as time allowed, after inspecting a comb and case at auction around 2000, and later meeting Jen Cruse, who had published a book on combs.
Retirement provided Peter with the time to spend on his research but was precluded by the reoccurrence of the illness that was to take his life. It was his last wish that a book be published on the subject, and Barbara picked up the baton in his memory. After three years of in-depth research, sourcing of photography, and writing, at last this fascinating story is told, including much new research. This beautiful work deserves to be celebrated in Jamaica, the country in which they were made.
I would like to thank the private collectors and dealers for their help and permission to use photographs of their pieces, along with museums and auction houses. We hope that this book leads to a much wider knowledge and appreciation of these wonderful objects.
Barbara Leigh 2026
Candida Butler
Brought up in Kingston, Jamaica, Candy spent considerable time in Port Royal for many reasons, one of which was her interest in the archaeological investigations at that time.
She later trained as a graphic designer in England, and many years later met Peter through his research.
Candy offered to design the book and is delighted to give something back to the island of which she has such fond memories, and to help add another chapter to the fascinating story of Port Royal.
She converted all the research, writing and images, into the beautiful book you see today, which we believe has more than done justice to Peter's last wish.