Oh My! This Amoria grayi kawamurai (are you impressed I called it by the Latin name?) trawled in deep water off Thevenard Island, Western Australia was awarded the Judges Special Award ribbon at the Sanibel Shell Show entered by Bobbi and James Cordy. I am overwhelmed to see so many fascinating specimens from all over the world… one right after another…. so I will show a few of my favorite Blue Ribbon and Special Award exhibits in the Scientific Division today.
Since I pictured this Pterynotus bednalli exhibited by Dick Willis in yesterday’s post, it’s obviously one of my faves. I hear it might be the world record in size as well. I don’t have the exact measurements but just guestamating, I think it’s about 4 1/2 inches or so. It is gorgeous!
I wish I could talk to all of the exhibitors but especially Evelyn Spencer about this Blue Ribbon FIGHTING CONCH (Strombus Alatus) she found on Sanibel.
I also love this Blue Ribbon WENTLETRAP exhibit by Harold and Marguerite Pilcher.
There are boxes and boxes of shells from different habitats in this Blue Ribbon Florida/Caribbean Treasure exhibit by Carol and Earl Petrikin. So interesting!
Albino shells are in the category of Unusual Variants (Freaks!). This is an ALBINO FIGHTING CONCH Blue Ribbon winner by Gary and Barbara Murza in that category.
I opened yesterday’s post with the photograph of Ann Joffe’s Blue Ribbon exhibit of 75 Wonderful Years.
To tell you a little about it, you have to read her words to explain her piece. It is very heart warming and such a beautiful tribute to those that have touched and taught us about the shelling world…
My head is swimming with seashell over-stimulation! They all are amazing, right? Well so is meeting more Shelling Sistahs and Bros! Y’all make my day soooo happy to share this excitement! Here’s Lynn and Ann…
And Jan and Bill. Jan was filmed by CBS too! We had such a fantastic time sharing that memory together. Thanks Jan!
Up next- the Artistic Division! Don’t worry, I’ll try to post more pics of this Scientific Division later too! So stay tuned!
What fabulous photos! Thanks so much for sharing them with all of us that wish we were there! WOW…it’s all I can think of! ♥
Me, too! And not one friend or family member is able to visit Sanibel on my spring break. :( Sherri from MN
Wow, amazing pictures. Thanks Pam
I can’t thank you enough Pam for taking time to share this with us. I feel like I’m there because you not only show us pictures but express the excitement and love of shelling that we all share. You’re the best!
Thank you for the cyber shelling! I would so love to see this in person. What amazing shells and it looks like so much fun to be there. Do you get tickled pink (or maybe sky blue) when you spot someone wearing your i love shelling tees? I was wearing mine the other day and I thought of you!
Thank you so much for bringing us those pictures of the gorgeous shells for those of us who can’t be there – much appreciated!
Very interesting Pam. I wish I could have been there!
Like Kim, I also think of you every time I wear my “iLoveShelling” teeshirt. It brings a little bit of Sanibel to NYC. I can’t wait to wear it out in the spring and see if anyone here recognizes it!
Wow’ed… so amazing. thanks so much for sharing once again with us Pam! I especially loved the Wentletrap collection… tried to enlarge it to read it, but it would work large enough to read. if you have advise on that, plmk. would love to read what they said about the different Wentletraps. So beautiful… each collection or piece… That first one is beautiful… Gods artistic hand on nature! The bednalli in the second was also quite magnificent… such pieces of beauty… how can we ever thank you for keeping us in the loop of your shelling world?! THANK YOU!!!
We made a point of visiting Lighthouse Beach where I diligently searched for wentletraps to no avail. Then I saw this exhibit–each type was displayed with a magnifying cube except one. God grief these are tiny shells. These are the minis of miniatures.