- 105
AN ICHTHYOSAUR
Estimate
38,000 - 48,000 USD
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Description
- HOLZMADEN, GERMANY
Ichthyosaurus Stenopterygius quadricissus (Fossil size: 150 cm; Plaque size: 200 x 100 x 3 cm), early Jurassic (approx 180 million years ago).
Condition
To request a condition report for this lot, please email science@sothebys.com
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
A superb marine reptile, appearing on a background of black slate from the famous Holzmaden quarries. The first person to uncover a full Ichthyosaur skeleton was Mary Anning, in Lyme Regis, England in 1910. Ichthyosaurs lived in groups, evolving in the open sea, feeding off of fish and cephalopods, like modern day dolphins, whose ecological niche they inhabited. Hundreds of hours were spent delicately removing the rock from the fossilized bones of this ichthyosaur in order to re-expose them to the light of day. The animal was found in a dynamic position, opening its mouth to catch its prey. The skull shows the eye socket, and the shape of the body is clearly outlined in the matrix in order to show the superficial similarities to modern day dolphins.