Lot 138
Khouribga, Morocco, Late Cretaceous, 73 to 65 million years ago. This is a wonderful and 100% natural portion of the vertebral column of the mosasaur Platecarpus ptychodon. This species is from the Oulad Abdoun Basin of Morocco and one of six species known in the Maastrichtian phosphates of the Ganntour Basin (Morocco). The vertebrae seen in this piece would have been from a large mosasaur likely around 15 - 18 feet in overall length. Size: 25-1/2" W x 7-3/4" H (64.7 cm x 20 cm). SHIP SIZE: 32" x 14" x 14"; SHIP WEIGHT: 45 lbs.
Unlike the hoards of tourist and junk Ebay matrix material floating around the market artificially fabricated with fake bones and cheap grade fossils, this rare, very large specimen is 100% ORIGINAL AS FOUND and is not a composite of multiple bones, artificial matrix, etc.. Every bone you see above in this partial skeleton is located in its ORIGINAL matrix exactly as it was found. We removed the matrix around bones to better expose the beautiful articulation. There are two small shark teeth and two very small fish teeth that were found in the matrix during preparation. We placed these teeth on the surface in the location and position in which they were found. Matrix was removed from between the vertebra for added display appeal. The bottom of the block of matrix is reinforced with a high-strength plaster and the entire specimen has been treated with a chemical hardener widely used in scientific institutions to strengthen and preserve the fossil. Genuine articulated fossils in the matrix are not common, especially when they show as much detailed anatomy as this substantial example. This is a very three dimensional specimen with loads of high relief and is a perfect candidate for a showpiece display specimen of this prehistoric monster.
It is common for local Moroccan diggers to fabricate fake "tourist" pieces out of reproduction and junk bones placed in an artificially created matrix. Some of these can be seemingly impressive to the naive collector or armchair dealer. In contrast, this is a scientific-grade specimen of pure natural origin with extensive lab preparation to reveal and fully expose much of the bone. Uncommon to Khouribga fossil bones, the surface of the vertebrae feature a beautiful brick red tone. NO FABRICATION OR COMPOSITING OF UNRELATED BONES.
Provenance: Ex-private French collection.
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#111072
- Condition: Stabilized in plaster field jacket as found. 100% genuine bones. Minor repair but no fabrication or restoration.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Shipping
Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 24.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $25,000 |