Tortoise Collection (#7)

Extinct Reunion giant tortoise and saddle-backed
Extinct Reunion giant tortoise, Cylindraspis indica (Indian tortoise, Testudo indica) and shells of the extinct saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise, Cylindraspis vosmaeri

Geometric tortoise and radiated tortoise
Geometric tortoise, Psammobates geometricus (Testudo geometrica) endangered, and radiated tortoise, Astrochelys radiata (Testudo radiata) critically endangered

Greek tortoise, Testudo graeca
Spur-thighed tortoise or Greek tortoise, Testudo graeca. (Common tortoise.) Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Heath after an illustration by George Shaw from his General Zoology, Amphibia

Common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina (Snake tortoise, Testudo serpentina). Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Heath after an illustration by George Shaw from his General Zoology, Amphibia

Mata mata or matamata turtle, Chelus fimbriata (fimbriated tortoise, Testudo fimbriata). Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Heath after an illustration by George Shaw from his General Zoology

Florida softshell turtle and Chinese softshell turtle
Florida softshell turtle, Apalone ferox (fierce tortoise, Testudo ferox) and Chinese softshell turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis (Testudo rostrata)

Tortoise and turtles
Greek tortoise c, Testudo graeca (vulnerable), hawksbill sea turtle b, Eretmochelys imbricata (critically endangered), green sea turtle a, Chelonia mydas (endangered) and European pond turtle d

Emys orbicularis, before 1801 (w / c on paper)
HMB306139 Emys orbicularis, before 1801 (w/c on paper) by Wunder, Friedrich Wilhelm (fl.before 1792); 30x22 cm; Humboldt-Universitaet, Berlin

Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise and Japanese pond turtle
Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise, Testudo graeca, vulnerable, and Japanese pond turtle, Mauremys japonica, near threatened

Florida softshell turtle, spur-thighed
Florida softshell turtle, Apalone ferox 1, spur-thighed tortoise, Testudo graeca 2 (vulnerable), and geometric tortoise, Psammobates geometricus 3 (endangered)

European pond turtle and yellow tortoise
European pond turtle 1, 2, Emys orbicularis (near threatened), and yellow tortoise 3, Chelonoidis denticulata. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Jean Baptiste Guyard after an illustration by

Tortoise skeleton and German tortoise species. (Le squelette d une tortue de terre, une tortue de terre d Allemagne.) Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andreas Hoffer from Georg Wolfgang Knorrs

Green sea turtle, loggerhead turtle, soft-shelled
Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas 1 (endangered), loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta 2 (endangered), Nile soft-shelled turtle, Trionyx triunguis 3, yellow-footed tortoise

Chelonia turtles and tortoises
Chelonia: Leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata (critically endangered), Argentine snake-necked turtle, Hydromedusa tectifera, Mata mata

Common tortoise, sulfur-breasted toucan
Common tortoise, Testudo graeca 1, sulfur-breasted toucan, Ramphastos sulfuratus 2, and white-throated toucan, Ramphastos tucanus 3. Tortue, Toucans

The Hare and the Tortoise, illustration for Fables of La Fontaine
498842 The Hare and the Tortoise, illustration for Fables of La Fontaine, published by H. Fournier Aine, 1838 (engraving) by Grandville (Jean Ignace Isidore Gerard) (1803-47)

Rodrigues solitaire and domed Rodrigues giant
Rodrigues solitaire, Pezophaps solitaria and domed Rodrigues giant tortoise, Cylindraspis peltastes, both extinct. Facsimile of the frontispiece of Francois Leguats Voyage, published 1708

Painted turtle and loggerhead sea turtle (endangered)
Painted turtle, Chrysemys picta (below/above) and loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, endangered. (Cinereous tortoise, Emys cinerea, and Mediterranean tortoise, Testudo caretta)

Rebecca Snooke, c. 1721 (oil on canvas) (b / w photo)
779768 Rebecca Snooke, c. 1721 (oil on canvas) (b/w photo) by English School, (18th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Hawksbill sea turtle and Greek tortoise
Hawksbill sea turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, critically endangered 1, and land or Greek tortoise, Testudo graeca, vulnerable 2

Turtles and tortoises
Scorpion mud turtle, Kinosternon scorpioides 1, endangered geometric tortoise, Psammobates geometricus 2, marginated tortoise, Testudo marginata 3, African spurred tortoise, Centrochelys sulcata 4

The Turtle Race (engraving)
2813264 The Turtle Race (engraving) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Turtle Race. Illustration for Chatterbox (1903).); © Look and Learn

La Tortue elephantine (engraving)
3645224 La Tortue elephantine (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: La Tortue elephantine. Illustration for Le Magasin Pittoresque (1862)

Colonial and Indian Exhibition, New Guinea (engraving)
1624619 Colonial and Indian Exhibition, New Guinea (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Colonial and Indian Exhibition, New Guinea)

"The Hare and the Tortoise"retold, the Hare leads (engraving)
1599736 " The Hare and the Tortoise" retold, the Hare leads (engraving) by Forestier, Amedee (1854-1930) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

Blood Circulation, 1833-39 (coloured engraving)
999171 Blood Circulation, 1833-39 (coloured engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Dictionnaire pittoresque d histoire naturelle et des phenomAnes de la)

Terrapin (colour litho)
998647 Terrapin (colour litho) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: From A Bilder-Atlas zur wissenschaftlich-populAaren Naturgeschichte der Amphibien in ihren)

The eccentricities at the World Exposition in Saint Louis, walking on turtles, in the Pike (colour litho)
2798799 The eccentricities at the World Exposition in Saint Louis, walking on turtles, in the Pike (colour litho) by Beltrame

The Merry Australians (Colour Litho)
2778206 The Merry Australians (Colour Litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: The cheerful Australians)

A Grooved or African Spurred Tortoise with her eggs at London Zoo, July 1922 (b / w photo)
1275268 A Grooved or African Spurred Tortoise with her eggs at London Zoo, July 1922 (b/w photo) by Bond, Frederick William (1887-1942)

The Hare and the Tortoise (engraving)
671845 The Hare and the Tortoise (engraving) by Griset, Ernest Henry (1844-1907); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Hare and the Tortoise)

Hunting tortoises on the coast of New Guinea (engraving)
669491 Hunting tortoises on the coast of New Guinea (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Hunting tortoises on the coast of New Guinea)

Tortoiseshell (chromolitho)
735342 Tortoiseshell (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Tortoiseshell. Liebig card)

Chrysemys picta, before 1792 (w / c on paper)
HMB306141 Chrysemys picta, before 1792 (w/c on paper) by Wunder, Friedrich Wilhelm (fl.before 1792); 29.5x23.5 cm; Humboldt-Universitaet, Berlin

Chelydra serpentina, before 1792 (w / c on paper)
HMB306140 Chelydra serpentina, before 1792 (w/c on paper) by Wunder, Friedrich Wilhelm (fl.before 1792); 20x35.5 cm; Humboldt-Universitaet, Berlin

Testudo Sulcata, 1796 (hand-coloured engraving)
618027 Testudo Sulcata, 1796 (hand-coloured engraving) by Miller, John Frederick (1759-96); Private Collection; (add.info.: Tab XXVI from Cimelia Physica by John Frederick Miller)

Tortoise, early 17th century (pen & brown ink with brown & blue washes)
CTS449146 Tortoise, early 17th century (pen & brown ink with brown & blue washes) by Passe, Crispin I de (c.1565-1637); 9.5x9.5 cm; eThe Devonshire Collections

The Animals Entering the Ark
CH20836 The Animals Entering the Ark by Savery, Jacob II (1593-1627); Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; Flemish, out of copyright

Roman Soldiers Besieging a Town, plate 23B, class 5 from Part I of
STC93293 Roman Soldiers Besieging a Town, plate 23B, class 5 from Part I of The History of the Nations, engraved by A. Nani (aquatint) by Italian School

The Virgin and child in a garland of fruit and flowers, c. 1614-18 (oil on panel)
SCP36912 The Virgin and child in a garland of fruit and flowers, c.1614-18 (oil on panel) by Brueghel, Jan (1568-1625) & Rubens, P.P

A group of embryos: fish, salamander, tortoise, chick (litho)
5998257 A group of embryos: fish, salamander, tortoise, chick (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A group of embryos: fish, salamander, tortoise, chick)

P. 62-1938 Painting and calligraphy party at the Manpachiro teahouse, 1827 (colour woodblock print)
FIT69776 P.62-1938 Painting and calligraphy party at the Manpachiro teahouse, 1827 (colour woodblock print) (for companion print see 69775) by Kunisada

Cupid being led by Tortoises (oil on panel)
STC149874 Cupid being led by Tortoises (oil on panel) by Maestri, Michelangelo (d.c.1812); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; Italian, out of copyright

The Ten Avatars or Incarnations of Vishnu, engraved by A
PML143646 The Ten Avatars or Incarnations of Vishnu, engraved by A. Thorn, from World Religion, published by A. Fullarton & Co

Terrapin (colour litho)
5998129 Terrapin (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Terrapin. Illustration for The New Book of Knowledge edited by Sir John Hammerton (Waverley)

The Fox, the Monkey, and the Animals, from Fontaine Fables, pub. 1905 (engraving)
3472568 The Fox, the Monkey, and the Animals, from Fontaine Fables, pub. 1905 (engraving) by Billingshurst, Percy J. (1871-1933); The Stapleton Collection; out of copyright

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In the enchanting world of tortoises, Hermann's Tortoise reigns supreme. As captured in Elspeth Phelps' iconic 1920 advertisement, these majestic creatures have captivated hearts for centuries. Just like the timeless tale of the Tortoise and Hare (Fol), their slow and steady nature has become a symbol of perseverance. But Hermann's Tortoise is not alone in this vast kingdom. Horsefield's Tortoise stands tall as another beloved member of this ancient lineage. Found in the highlands of Floreana Island within the Galapagos Islands, Giant Tortoises awe with their sheer size and grace. Venturing to Pantanal, Brazil, we encounter the vibrant Red-footed Tortoise. Its colorful shell blends harmoniously with its surroundings, showcasing Mother Nature's artistic touch. Picture No. 10901761 captures this beauty perfectly. Feeding on lettuce with utmost delight, Hermann's Tortoise reminds us that even small pleasures can bring immense joy. And when paired with a Dwarf Rabbit, an unexpected friendship blossoms before our eyes - a testament to unity amidst diversity. The Spur-thighed Tortoise adds its unique charm to this diverse family tree of reptiles from 1913 onwards. Each species holds its own allure and contributes to Earth's rich biodiversity. Traveling across continents brings us to Arizona, USA where we meet the Desert Tortoise WAT 4915 - Gopherus agassizii © M. Watson / ARDEA LONDON - basking under the warm desert sun. This resilient creature embodies survival against all odds. As we delve into these captivating glimpses into tortoises' lives through time and space, one thing becomes clear: they are more than just animals; they are living relics embodying resilience and wisdom passed down through generations. So let us cherish these magnificent beings who have witnessed history unfold before their ancient eyes.