Spectacular Woolly Rhinoceros Skull Fossil from Europe

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Exceptional Antiquities | Ethnographic Art

By Artemis Gallery

Oct 11, 2018

Set Reminder 2018-10-11 10:00:00 2018-10-11 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities | Ethnographic Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-art-3500
An important one-day auction featuring museum-worthy examples of classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

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• Lot Description
  Coelodonta antiquitatis; found in Rhine River Gravel Deposits - Germany; Pleistocene; 120,000 to 20,000 years ago. Found years ago, deep in the river gravels of Germany, this amazing signature specimen is a skull from one of the most famous beasts of the last Ice Age - the Woolly Rhinoceros. 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 noteworthy piece. Woolly Rhinoceros skulls from Siberia (Russia) are much more prevalent than European specimens. They are still finding fossil skulls of this quality and completeness in Siberia but no longer in Europe, making this skull considerably more valuable and scarce. Because of this, the prospect for market value appreciation and its investment potential are tremendous. Virtually complete European Woolly Rhino fossil skulls can now only come from old, private collections as this one has. Size: 32.5" L x 14.5" W (82.6 cm x 36.8 cm)
  
  It has been many years that fossils like this have been discovered in the once productive gravel mine dredges that operated 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 western European dredges operated by bucket so it was possible to find some amazing specimens but this has not been the case for well decades now. The permanent change in river dredge technology has made these rare fossils even more rare as present-day discoveries like this are impossible.
  
  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.
  
  Note: Extremely scarce woolly rhino skull from Europe - not Siberia. Skulls like this are no longer being found as the machinery to work quarries now grinds up all fossils compared to older times when earlier river dredge machinery did not destroy fossils found in gravel.
  
  Provenance: private Florida, USA collection, acquired in 2004 from a private German 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.
  
  #139965

  Condition

  Skull found in perfect condition and complete, save the tip of the nose and interior nasal septum. Repair and restoration to the nose only. Mandible repair and restoration to front edge and parts of each side, including part of both condyles and coronoid processes. Overall restoration limited to 7% to 10% total area.
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