|
1979,
Dec. 1. The rumor of this shell's existence is confirmed. Apparently taken by
commercial (fishery) trawler off Cape Moreton, Queensland, Australia; it is in
the possession of J. A. (Tony) Wilson of Shorncliffe, Queensland (Evans, 1979).
1982, June 28. "PS Mr. [sic] Raybaudi of Roma has one Ancilla in his
collection. He paid $1,000 [American] in Australia" (Lan, 1982).
1984 Ancilla velesiana Iredale forma sinistrorsa allegedly named
by Dr. Luigi Raybaudi Massilia [also known as L. M. Raybaudi]. This may have
been in
Gemme del Mare, a sales catalogue, or in manuscript only.
1985, January. The specimen is first illustrated - on the cover of The
Connoisseur of Seashells: dorsal and apertural views, and captioned: "Ancillista
velesiana IREDALE, 1936/Forma sinistrorsa (Raybaudi, 1984)/UNICA UNIQUE;
text states:"Ancilla velesiana IREDALE 1936 forma sinistrorsa
(RAY. 1984) unique (96 mm) Cape Moreton. Gem. P o r." (Raybaudi, 1985).
Comments: Reason for parentheses
inside
quotes above is
baffling. Note the operculum, still with the shell, is not that of this
species. It appears to be that of a (dextral) member of the Amalda
hilgendorfi (von Martens, 1897) group. It has been placed in a position 180º
opposite its usual orientation with respect to the axis of the shell.
1987, June-August. The shell is again listed and illustrated in The
Connoisseur of Seashells: "R21 ancillista [sic] velesiana
f. sinistrorsa. A fantastic rarity (see cover of T. C. N. 1). It will be
sold by private treaty ....... Price on request"]; back cover (dorsal view).
1988, Summer. Raybaudi relates that the sinistral A. velesiana was
sold him by Tony Wilson of Brisbane in the seventies.
199?,
200? Enrico Biaggi of Milan obtains the shell from Raybaudi (Demertzis, 2009).
2009, May.
Maria Demertzis of Nomos Pellas, Greece purchases the Biaggi Collection -
including the fabled "Ancillista velesiana forma sinistrorsa (Raybaudi,
1984)" (Demertzis, 2009).
2009,
July 22. Maria Demertzis sells the specimen to Dr. Peter G. Stimpson of Loudon,
Tennessee (Demertzis, 2009).
Dr. Stimpson provided the digital images, an edited version of which appears
above.
Demertzis,
M., 2009. In litt. to H. G. Lee. August 11.
Evans, R., 1979. In litt. to H. G. Lee. Dec. 1.
Lan, T.C., 1982. In litt. to H. G. Lee. June 28.
[Raybaudi, L.M. (ed.)], 1985. [Ancillista velesiana IREDALE, 1936/Forma
sinistrorsa (Raybaudi, 1984)/UNICA UNIQUE]. The Connoisseur of
Seashells 1: [1] front cover: images, dorsal and apertural
views, and [caption] and 16 ["Ancilla velesiana IREDALE 1936 forma
sinistrorsa (RAY. 1984) unique (96 mm) Cape Moreton. Gem. P o r."]. January.
[Raybaudi, L.M. (ed.)], 1987. The Connoisseur of Seashells 15-16: 55 and
64 [back cover]. June-August.
[Raybaudi, L.M. (ed.)], 1988. The Connoisseur of Seashells 19: 14.
Summer. |
