Natural History - Polished Mineral Specimen 'Pebble' Group [100]

Containing several insects and other inclusions. 29.4 grams, 11.8 cm



From Madagascar. Acquired 1950s-1960s. From an old Bristol, UK, palaeontological collection.

Meteoric glass, melted terrestrial rock splashed from an impact crater, most roughly ovoid in shape. 969 grams total, 47-83 mm



From Mexico. Ex Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's).

Tektites are lumps of black or dark grey natural glass produced from melted crustal rocks that are caused by large hypervelocity meteorite impacts on sediments.

A rare complete example of Paratriakis curtirostris within micritic matrix, displaying the spine, fins and tail with visible fin supports; the head with a number of teeth in situ; mounted in a custom-made wooden frame with a textured insert. 40.1 kg total, shark: 81 cm (68 x 127.5 cm)



Found Haqel, Lebanon. Ex Fine Fossils, UK. From the private collection of Mr J.G., a company executive. Studied by the University of Manchester, UK. Accompanied by an original signed handwritten note from Sir David Attenborough, 7 November 2022, which reads 'Dear J[ ] G[ ], You are indeed lucky to have such a spectacular fossil. Best wishes, David Attenborough'. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Fine Fossils with certificate no.COLL011. Accompanied by a detailed geological report by Paul Goodrich. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12091-214455.

Paratriakis curtirostris was a resident in the shallows of the Tethys Ocean, which separated Africa, Europe, Indo-Australia and Asia. The genus is now extinct, but has a relative in the modern-day dogfish Triakis.