two Megapitaria (formerly Macrocallista) maculata, w/very unique provenance

Description

Thank you for taking a look at my shells.  For many years I collected, traded and purchased shells from all over the world to build my collection, but now it's time that they all find new homes.
I still have many boxes yet to unpack, so I hope you'll follow me on eBay; I add another dozen or so new lots every ten to fifteen days.  Please also see my ratings for recent sales of shells I've sent all over the U.S. and as far as Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Costa Rica, Japan, and China. You can be confident that you'll be happy with what you win.
All of my shells qualify as "from an old collection" now, for those of you who are interested; I stopped adding shells about 1975. All of the information I have is found here in the listing - I never created labels for each shell, but instead kept a three-ring binder of typewritten records that tied back to an india ink number of each specimen (I remove those before I photograph them).
This auction is for two specimens of Megapitaria (formerly Macrocallista) maculata, 42mm and 53mm in width, which I acquired through the National Capital Shell Club's annual auctions, way back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The smaller pair has an unusual, slightly rosy tint, while the larger, darker pair is more typical to the species.
The renowned malacologist and author, Dr. R. Tucker Abbott, was a frequent guest, and this particular pair were both collected
and eaten
by Dr. Abbott on a visit to Grand Bahama Island. I don't think you'll ever find another shell on ebay that was eaten by an internationally known scientist with positions at the Smithsonian (Washington, D.C.); the Academy of Natural Sciences (Philadelphia); and the Delaware Museum of Natural History.  From Wikipedia: "
Abbott was one of the most prominent conchologists of the 20th century. He brought the study of seashells to the public with his works, including most notably:
American Seashells
(1954),
Seashells of the World
(1962),
The Shell
(1972), and
The Kingdom of the Seashell
(1972). He was an active member of the American Malacological Union and Conchologists of America."
This lot will ship to the winning bidder at any U.S. address via Priority Mail for
.00
, which includes up to .00 in insurance.  I can also combine your wins from multiple auctions into one box, to better manage your shipping costs
(several shells can fit in my standard shipping box).
This .00 rate for Priority Mail shipping above applies for
U.S. buyers
- see notes below regarding international shipping.
International buyers: My shipping charges above are shown for buyers in the United States only.
There are separate USPS First Class International Package charges listed under the "Shipping and Payments" tab; any additional charges for customs and duties are the responsibility of the buyer.
Please see the Shipping and Payments tab for more information and to estimate your shipping charges before you bid.
For purposes of estimating international shipping costs, the listing assumes a
half kilo,
15x23x30 cm box
. Depending on the shell(s) you win, your actual shipping charges on the invoice may be greater or lesser than the estimate
(
I will always try to reduce your costs; you may not need a box that large, and your shells may weigh less
)
.  I
n
addition... international shipping has become unpredictable
due to the pandemic and
I am unable to guarantee whether international carriers will accept and deliver all packages.
If you have questions about delivery services, please let me know.
Bill Hurley