Giant Amazon River Turtle

AN EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF AN ARRAU GIANT AMAZON RIVER TURTLE

WITH FULL PROVENACE, CIRCA 1911

In a very fine state of preservation, having a wonderfully consistent colour and sheen.

Measurements length 28 ½” (72.5cm) width 25” (63.6cm)

Provenace:

My grandfather, Thomas Williams (full name), was born near Tregaron, Mid Wales in April 1886 and died in Wickford Essex in 1928 aged 42years. I do not know what he did immediately after leaving school but at 23 joined the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company in 1909. He started working for the company in New York before transferring eighteen months later to Brazil to take charge of their Manaos wireless station. He returned to England when this contract expired in 1913. During this time, and living by the Amazon river he acquired the Arrau Giant Amazon river turtle shell as a souvenir. When he returned to England he brought back with him the turtle shell for use as a decorative home ornament. It has remained with the family on display ever since.

He later joined the Royal Flying Corps (do not have precise dates/length of service detail) as a wireless engineer where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant. During this time he certainly spent service time in Nivelles, Belgium and was actively involved in reconnaissance work flying behind enemy lines carrying out/reporting back photographic reconnaissance. On a particular mission he was injured and his plane shot down. As a result of his injuries he was discharged and returned to England as a serviceman pensioner. He was unable to work again and later died from the effects in 1928 aged 42 years. By this time my grandfather had two children, one of whom was my father, who at the time was only 4 years old. My father passed away in 2002.

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Stock number