Lot 116
Germany, Pleistocene, ca. 120,000 to 20,000 years ago. This is a Coelodonta antiquitatis. Found years ago, deep in the river gravels of Germany, this is a complete skull from one of the most famous beasts of the last Ice Age - the Wooly Rhinoceros, Coelodonta antiquitatis. While a fossil Woolly rhino skull from ANY location is rare when found of this level of preservation, finding one from EUROPE, not the Siberian Tundra as most have been found, makes this an especially note-worthy piece. It has been many years that fossils like this have been discovered in the once productive gravel mine dredges that operate on the rivers of western Europe. Today, the machinery brings up the gravel (and fossils) by suction dredge and all the material is ground up and destroyed before being deposited in the barges. In the past, the dredges operated by bucket so it was possible to find some amazing specimens but this has not been the case for well over a decade as of today. The permanent change in river dredge techology has made these rare fossils even more rare as present-day discoveries like this are now impossible. Size: 30" L (76.2 cm).
This is a rare, life-time offering and specimens like this can only come from older collections due to the unfortunate change in the destructive machinery used today by which these fossils were once found. The emphasis on the European origin adds to its extreme scarcity.
Provenance: Ex-private European collection. Found in the Rhine River, Germany.
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.
#112681
- Condition: There is minor repair and restoration to the zygomatic arches, nasal, palate and portions of the mandible and maxilla which total approximately 7 - 10% of the overall skull and jaw.
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 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 |