Description:

East Asia, likely China, Pliocene era, 3.0 to 3.5 million years ago. An exciting and extremely rare fossilized skull of a saber-toothed Machairodus horribilis cat displaying two sizable 3.5 to 3.75 inch sabers. This fossil retains much of the stone matrix it was discovered in. The teeth present are the two saber canines, the right molar, and five incisors. A pair of partial annular eye sockets lie to either side of the snout. Machairodus was slightly larger than Smilodon - the famed saber toothed tiger. The Machairodus likely hunted large herbivories using ambush tactics, using its massive teeth to inflict a killing bite to the back of the neck of its prey. A remarkable and rare piece of prehistoric fauna! Size: 11.25" L x 4" W x 6" H (28.6 cm x 10.2 cm x 15.2 cm); 10.5" H (26.7 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private New Jersey, USA collection; ex private collection, from the early 1980s

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#162114

  • Condition: Upper portion of jaw and skull only, as shown. Repairs and restoration to the sabers. Both sabers are repaired from over ten pieces with hairline cracks and some traces of adhesive residue. Losses to skull, with cracks and fissures from fossilization process. Large areas of stone matrix intact as shown.

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April 8, 2021 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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