[NANTES] Cabinet of curiosities

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Trowel commemorating the laying of the first stone of the Alexander III Bridge on "VIII October MDCCCXCVI His Majesty Nicholas Emperor of all the Russias His Majesty the Imratirce Alexandra Feodrovna Félix Faure President of the French Republic laid the first stone of the Alexander III Bridge in Paris". Souvenir made of printed gilt brass, the handle turned blackened wood. Late 19th century. Edited by Georges Dreyfus. L. 17 cm approx. (wear) A symbol of the Franco-Russian friendship sealed in 1891 by Tsar Alexander III and President Sadi-Carnot, the Alexandre III bridge is decorated, upstream, with the Nymphs of the Seine surrounding the arms of Paris and, downstream, with a figure of the Neva and its Nymphs accompanying the gilded arms of Russia. It was inaugurated for the 1900 Universal Exhibition.

Collection of entomological boxes

Beautiful portion of the "strangler" fig tree, probably Ficus watkinsiana. Dried wood specimen. H. 225 cm. [Ficus watkinsiana is a strangler fig tree native to Australia. It can reach a height of 50 metres. It germinates on a support tree, first spreading into the canopy, before developing a network of roots reaching down to the ground, enclosing the host tree in its root system. The fig tree's growth stops when the roots have reached the ground and ensure its self-support. The support tree generally dies of suffocation and its trunk eventually leaves a gap].