A Fine Early 20thC Natural History Taxidermy Specimen of an Armadillo Shell on Stand
SOLD
Origin: English
Period: Early 20th Century
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1900-10
Height: 10.5 inches
Length: 12 inches
Width: 9 inches (all at maximum)
Base Diameter: 6.5 inches
Rod mounted on a large ebonised circular plinth stand with iron shaped balancing rod, the large and complete armadillo shell having a curled tail, survives from the Edwardian period.
In very fine order with light general wear commensurate with age to the stand, with some blemish marks, and one small hole to the shell itself, though otherwise in complete and original condition. The baize lined base to the circular stand has cracks but this is not visible nor of importance.
The armor, which covers the twenty-one known species of extant armadillos, is a combination of bone plates with tough, overlapping scutes and these tough carapaces of armadillos are still perplexing to modern naturalists today. A coat of armor can have its benefits, but, over the past 55 million years, armadillos have had to cope with the costs.
An imposing and impressive piece of natural history that illustrates the beauty and complexity of nature and the complex process of evolution.