Rare 9.5" Tyrannosaurus Rex Fossilized Rear Foot Claw!

Lot 99a

About Seller

686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States

Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more

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About Auction

Exceptional Antiquities, Ethnographic and Fine Art by Artemis Gallery

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Exceptional Antiquities, Ethnographic and Fin...

By Artemis Gallery

Jun 29, 2023

Set Reminder 2023-06-29 10:00:00 2023-06-29 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Ethnographic and Fine Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-and-fine-art-13031 Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

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Lot Description

North America, Western United States, South Dakota, Harding County, Hell Creek Formation, Cretaceous, ca. 68 to 65.5 million years ago. A monstrous foot claw from the most famous dinosaur: T-Rex, Tyrannosaurus, the Tyrant Lizard King. The rear legs of T-rex had three main toes and claws, and a fourth dewclaw behind below the ankle joint. This knife-like claw was probably from one of the main toes, and is a staggering 9.5 inches (24.1 cm) along the curve from root to tip, holding this in one’s hand - it is about the size of heifer cow horn! The root and inner core of the claw is original material, with restoration to achieve the full size of this incredible specimen! Size along curve: 9.5" L x 3.125" W (24.1 cm x 7.9 cm); 9.5" H (24.1 cm) on included custom stand. Size: 9.5" L x 3.125" W (24.1 cm x 7.9 cm); 9.5" H (24.1 cm) on included custom stand.

The most famous dinosaurs of all time are undoubtedly the large, meat-eating members of the Tyrannosauridae family. This family includes species such as Nanotyrannus, Albertosaurus, Gorgosaurus, Daspletosaurus, Tarbosaurus, and the most infamous of all, Tyrannosaurus rex. The emergence of all tyrannosaurids was short-lived and occurred in only a 15 million year span in the Late Cretaceous Period before their extinction about 65 million years ago. The first recognized fossil remains of Tyrannosaurus were discovered in Colorado, U.S.A. in the 1890s; one of the first partial skeletons came from the Hell Creek Formation in 1902. These powerful claws and limbs have been the source of much debate amongst scientists and not all questions about how these dinosaurs moved and used their claws have been conclusively answered. T-rex was an apex predator or scavenger, and while famous films show T-rex running, it is thought they could only reach a quick walking speed of 15 mph. Their rear claws may have helped with hunting by holding prey down as they ripped flesh with their teeth – although this is also a disputed theory.

Provenance: private Berthoud, Colorado, USA 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.

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#179689

Condition

Restoration and repairs. The front half of the claw- from midsection to tip- is restored with new material covering the original claw core. Core and midsection to root is original material. Approximately 50% is original material.
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