Aerial Fireworks

Chrysanthemum starshells
and multishot mines

White spider shells

Chrysanthemum starshells
and crossette mines

Chrysanthemum starshells
and palm tree shells

Chrysanthemum and
peony starshells

Our photo gallery of skyshows has more great pictures.

Types of Shells

Starshells fire up to 800 metres high in the case of large ones and about 40 metres high in the case of small ones. They burst in a shower of stars with a huge range of styles and colours We can recommend them as a great crowd pleaser.

We carry a wide range of starshells which we see as falling into three categories, as described below.

1. Traditional basic - The well-known, well-loved basic shells (such as peonies). Clients and customers regard them as the foundations of a successful show. We maintain a wide colour range of these from year to year.
2. Traditional complex - Those shells which are more complex than the basic shells e.g. a more powerful effect, or more intricate patterns and colours, and which have proven popular over the years. We see these as the second tier of the show, these used with the basic shells are the base on which the rest of the show is built. We maintain a wide range of these also from year to year although there can be some variability as they are not always available.
3. Innovative, the 'wow' shells - The new and intriguing special effects shells designed to catch the audience's attention, to excite them over something new. These will vary from year to year. (Those which prove extremely popular move into category 2 above. Otherwise, they are dropped in favour of the latest styles.)

A show composed only of "amazing, exciting and different" shells can easily become a mishmash with so many different items that the audience become jaded with them. It is very important to provide the beautiful, well-constructed traditional shells as well as the innovative shells.

We now stock a range of simple-to-use pre-boxed starshells in sizes ranging from 38mm to 63mm. These allow lower-budget displays to use starshells.

For a little more detail, consult our Starshell Glossary.