Description:

JURASSIC PERIOD: 160 million years ago. Solnhofen Plattenkalk Formation - Eichstatt, Germany. - Famous for producing an astonishing diversity of rare and most intricately preserved fossils found anywhere in the world, the Jurassic lithographic limestone deposits of southern Germany are legendary. Quarries in the region are privately held and mostly worked by hand on a small scale. The finest grade fossils are few and far between and much rock must be split to locate them. The best fossils are most often kept by the quarry owners who themselves, are often collectors. Some quarries are operated on a large scale but these are now dug with machinery instead of manual labor. Because of this the rock is damaged and along with it, the rare fossils. What all this means today is that even fewer fine grade Solnhofen fossils are found and when they are, rarely do the best pieces make it to market. Occasionally, an old private collection surfaces and specimens are sold or traded. This is where the rare opportunity comes along to acquire a specimen on a level that truly is a prize find. Typically, the older material is often the best as it was collected when the deposits were first being worked and quality was in greater abundance. From this famous formation, we offer a fine quality example of the extinct Jurassic fish, Caturus furcatus. This is a sizable fossil of this species and features multi-layer fossil preservation of the body and internal skeleton of the fish. This can be seen in close-up examination of the body. Delicate fin and bone detail is preserved, as well. Another nice feature is the large lithographic limestone plate the fossil was found in. The slab is UNBROKEN. This is a perfect specimen for interior design due to its size and attractive, natural features as well as soft colors. 19.4" in length x 10.75" high overall with fish 8.75" long. 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.

  • Provenance: Ex-private East Coast, USA collection
  • Condition: Excellent

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

October 23, 2014 9:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 22% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
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