This offer is about a natural seashell, please take your time and read the entire text below in full length: you will find a short INTRODUCTION, a full DESCRIPTION of the item for sale, and TECHNICALITIES about myself as well as what is called the red tape, that is CONDITIONS of sale. If in doubt about any details, please contact me. Please refer to the title for size and identification, the item is being sold as is, nature has produced this shell, I can't make it any larger or better.

Introduction:
Seashells have always been closely connected with human civilisation, we find them in prehistoric sites around the world, sometimes merely utilitarian (they make great cups and spoons) and quite often used as ornaments for the living as well as the dead such as demonstrated in Mesoamerican cultures. We equally meet them in Classical Mythology maybe best known representing the Birth of Venus (a bivalve of course) as in modern culture making testament to their enduring interest right to present times, the Delta of Venus I mean, and that is indeed a powerful image of which the connoisseur knows that a gastropod is being referred to. I am spanning millennia but there is much to say about curio cabinets filled by the rich and powerful with valuable naturalia like those still preserved in public collections housing treasures from Wittelsbach family, and we know that Nautilus cups have been fashionable drinking vessels adorning the tables at the most exuberant festivities the Medici family have ever hosted. And of course there are the Dutch famous for their trade and wealth and good taste, they became notorious for the tulip fever paying staggering prices for these plants, but there also was what I may call a Shell Fever in those times when beautiful exotic species like Thatcheria mirabilis would fetch easily amounts that by today would be more than enough to acquire an apartment with Central Park View. I mention all this to say that you are indeed dignified as a collector dedicating your interest to seashells, but there is more to it and now I want to make my point: after all we are dealing here with natural resources produced by living animals and that puts us in responsability. My answer is simple, Yes, I do love shells, and Yes, I want to keep a low impact in the environment, making an active effort to preserve and protect the Sea, and study the ecosystem giving us more knowledge and better understanding of life under water. Myself, call me Andrew, coming from a family of three generations passionately dedicated to shell collecting, now want to share the immense wealth of well preserved and meticulously documented material by announcing them here at ebay in two different places called gisela-gastropods and gisela-bivalves thus complying with highest professional standards. All shells listed are preowned, old collection as we say, acquiring them makes no impact on nature, and you can silence any critics by pointing to this fact. In addition, sparkling the interest in seashells makes us knowledgeable guardians of the Seas, and we want to see healthy populations in undisturbed natural habitat.


Description:
Certificate Q181-G08-M12/o52
1. Identification: Cypraea fultoni (Sowerby, 1903), off Xai-Xai, Mozambique, feeding on patches of dark silt on plateau with pinnacle formations of black rock in 160m depth, live taken specimen shell. 
2. Description: All specimens known of are trawled in medium deep water south Mozambique up to mid RSA, and these majestic shells live on silty patches near rocky outcrops of ancient volcanic stone, a feature of this SE Africa habitat which is well known among fishermen who would love to exploit these rich fishing grounds but that is impossible because these rocky outcrops have edges as sharp as knifes and they actually cut and destroy any kind of fishing nets, even if made from the most resilient fibre. That means that many of the famous treasures form this region are only occasionally available mostly from a few early attempts by Russian trawlers over 40 years ago and that goes not only for the Cypraea fultoni, but also for Bolma massieri just to name one of the famous RSA rarities. So this shell is and will always remain a very rare exception, a beautiful shell that is live taken and beyond the wildest imagination because it is preserved in undamaged condition without the so called stress lines which you will find in 90% of any shell in collections or actually on the market. In fact there are a handful of shells in some of the best collections in the world, and this is one of them. A very important shell with elongated terminal which is trifoliated, very well developed teeth of lovely yellow color on a massive well sculpted base which sports intense peach color, the laterals with thick and knobby patches of callous, and mature contrasting spot pattern which is a particular feature of this specimen. And finally, the dorsum displays a very clear and elaborate pattern of darkest chestnut color combined with warm hues of amber and gold, all surface flawless and naturally glossy, and with the typical orange peel structure which is a hallmark of mature specimens. A seashell of exceptional beauty and quality. It seems important to know that this is a genuine and all natural seashell, I do mention this because there are regularly polished and enhanced specimens on the market which might be acquired unknowingly by the novice collector. I took the pictures at natural daylight with a very reduced flash and placed the shell on black velvet in order to avoid lateral highlights but even so you see reflections on the photo which are invisible when holding the shell on the hand; alternatively I resorted to the old trick of using fine sand from the beach as a surface on which I placed the shell, this is useful but it kills the intensity of the colors. As a result of the flash there are some distortions which I am unable to eliminate with my limited knowledge of photography. A very desirable specimen of outstanding beauty, suitable for the connoisseur.



Technicalities:

Your satisfaction is my top priority: adding a new shell to your collection is not just pressing the 'Buy It Now' bottom, if it were that easy anybody could do it. In the first place a knowledgable collector studies any interesting offer in full depth, that includes revising the status of the taxon name (you might have the very same species already under a synonym), checking size and quality (it's a good idea to have a calliper on hand and see how large it is) and of course contrast any intended purchase against shells published in reference books and online collections and other offers you may find on the internet. Doing this in depth might be a lengthy process but I assure you it is the most rewarding way you can spend your time, and here I am to assist you. First of all I publish each shell with the actual label and a total of 12 photos taken from all angles. I use a digital camera, natural daylight and a very soft flash which helps to bring out surface details which otherwise might be unnoticeable: I never use AI or any enhancing, you get the picture just as it comes from the camera, and that puts you in a privileged position when judging the quality of any piece on offer. In addition I do a short description of each shell which sometimes includes subjects like provenance and actual health of populations as well as data from personal travels and other bits of shell talk that come to mind and which I hope you find interesting or at least worth reading. If you eventually decide on a purchase then I guarantee to send exactly the piece as illustrated in the corresponding offer, I will never switch or substitute shells, and I will do extremely safe packing which includes a foam box, very lightweight, extremely resistant albeit a bit costly but in this case safety first in international shipping. I will entrust all parcels within 48 hours of payment confirmed to post office and I use registered airmail with tracking number. All this I consider a 5***** service and after that its up to you: make sure to check the registration number and be available for signing on receipt, unpack carefully and check your purchase against your ebay invoice, and of course ENJOY your new treasure. Please do contact me about anything concerning shells via ebay message and do not hesitate to ask for more information, additional photos or any problem concerning shells, I will always be available to assist you individually and in full detail. Taking all these steps and precautions I am confident you will be satisfied with your purchase and place your confidence with me again in the future, and that would be my reward, placing my shells in your hands to be enjoyed by a new generation of collectors.





Citado de EBAY: POLÍTICA SOBRE CANCELACIÓN DE PEDIDOS


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Usted debe devolver el/los artículo(s) en un plazo de 14 días a partir de la fecha del desistimiento.

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DERECHO DE DESISTIMIENTO


Usted puede cancelar su compra en cualquier momento dentro de un plazo de 14 días sin necesidad de justificación, siempre que el/los artículo(s) se devuelve(n) sin haber sufrido desperfectos de una manipulación incorrecta por su parte. El requisito previo para una devolución es que el producto esté intacto.


La devolución de(l)/los artículo(s) se realizará utilizando la misma embalaje en la que el/los artículo(s) ha(n) sido entregado(s).

Pido que usted tomen contacto conmigo, SIEMPRE mediante la mensajería interna de Ebay, antes de realizar la devolución.


Usted debe devolver el/los artículo(s) intacto en un plazo de 14 días a partir de la fecha del desistimiento.

Se reembolsará el pago recibido, portes incluidos.


POLÍTICA DE PRIVACIDAD


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El requisito previo para el envío del artículo comprado es la dirección postal del COMPRADOR. Por lo tanto, tan pronto como usted haya pagado el/los artículo(s), Ebay me comunicará su dirección postal, incluido su número de teléfono, para poder enviarle el/los artículo(s) que usted, el COMPRADOR, ha adquirido. El/los artículo(s) que ha comprado siempre se le enviarán con un número de seguimiento; para ello, su dirección postal, incluido su número de teléfono, deberá estar registrada en el albarán de entrega de la empresa de transporte autorizada. Por la presente, usted acepta esto. Aparte de su dirección postal, incluido su número de teléfono, Ebay no me proporciona ningún otro dato personal suyo.

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Plazos de conservación:

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