Three Exotic Tortoiseshells (1800 to 1900 Africa)

Zoom Exit

shell

LEFT AND MIDDLE SHELL SOLD

The great collector Sir Hans Sloane had 67 different tortoiseshells in order to show the fascinating variety of colour and patterning amongst them. They are one of the oldest of all living reptiles, who appeared on earth around 200 million years ago, and have evolved surprisingly little in the intervening period so they are still remarkably similar to their ancestors who lived side by side with the dinosaurs.

Three Exotic Tortoiseshells
A : A large shell of an African Leopold tortoise 'Geochelone Pardalis Babcocki' from Kenya. One of the largest mainland tortoises
B : The shell of a red footed tortoise 'Geochelone Carbonaria' from Northern South America
C : The shell of a Hermann's tortoise 'Testudo Hermanni' from Southern Europe
19th Century

Sizes: a: 33cm long, 20cm high, 22cm wide – 13 ins long, 8 ins high, 8½ ins wide
b: 30cm long, 13cm high, 17cm wide – 11¾ ins long, 5 ins high, 6¾ ins wide
c: 19cm long, 10cm high, 14cm wide – 7½ ins long, 4 ins high, 5½ ins wide
C.I.T.E.S documentation available