Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), taken by Max-Dietrich Gaudchau, German-East Africa, circa 1933, anterior and posterior horns on prepared and close nailed skin section, anterior horn 60cm, posterior horn 30cm, on ebonised pine oval original shield with taxidermist's stamp of Paul Etandau Weimar, Rätergasse 10.
Max-Dietrich Gaudchau was born in 1907 in Guthamannshausen, Thuringen. In 1928 he moved to German East Africa to work as a hunting guide, where he planned and organised safaris, mainly for wealthy English sportsmen such as Colonel Tucker (safari in 1937), and Major Evan (safari 1933). In 1930 he opened his own company for trading in taxidermy and big game trophies, as well as offering safari-guidance in Moshi, a small town in Tanzania. In 1935 he bought farmland and built a farmhouse to plant and sell coffee. In 1940 he joined the army and went to the Africa Corp under Feldmarschall Rommel - indeed the vendor (great nephew of Max-Dietrich Gaudchau) still retains his African Corp medals. At the end of World War Two he lost all his private property to the English Government as they overtook the colonies of former German East Africa. However, in the 1950's he went again to East Africa giving agricultural and environmental support (pest control) on behalf of the German Institute for Botany Protection. Mr Gaudchau died in 1994.
