Very Large Mosasaur 'Marine Dinosaur' Fossil Lower Jaw

Comprising an irregular specimen of iron (IAB) meteorite. 1.47 grams, 12 mm



From Chaco Province, Argentina, the fall was discovered in 1576. Previously in a private collection formed in the 2000s. Acquired at auction in the UK. Property of a West Sussex, UK, gentleman.

A crater field of roughly 26 craters was found in the vicinity of this crater, which is estimated to date to 4-5 thousand years BP. The age of the meteorite itself is thought to be c.4.5 billion years, formed as part of the development of this solar system. The largest two fragments, the 30.8 ton Gancedo and 28.8 ton El Chaco, are among the heaviest meteorite masses ever recovered on Earth. In 1576, the governor of a province in Northern Argentina commissioned the military to search for a large mass of iron, which it was believed the local people claimed had fallen from the sky and which they used for their weapon production. The expedition discovered a large mass of metal which was assumed to be an iron mine and brought back a few samples, which were described as being of unusual purity. Following the legends, in 1774 Don Bartolomé Francisco de Maguna rediscovered the iron mass. He himself did not believe that the stone had fallen from the sky and assumed that it had formed by a volcanic eruption. However, he sent the samples to the Royal Society of London. In 1990, it became protected by law.

Rectangular matrix with a Diplomystus sp. showing good rib detail. 625 grams, 19.7 cm



From Green River formation, Wyoming, USA. From a Lincolnshire, UK, collection.

In southwest Wyoming (and parts of Colorado and Utah), in the Green River Formation, are found some of the world's most outstanding specimens of fossil fish. The Green River system was composed of three lakes: Lake Uinta, Lake Gosiute and Fossil Lake. These Eocene lakes lay in a series of intermountain basins formed by geological events that uplifted the Rocky Mountains during the early Tertiary period. The climate was much different from the desert-like climate of this area today. Both the fauna (crocodiles, alligators, boa constrictors and some subtropical fish families) and the flora (such as large palm trees) indicate a climate much like that found along the Gulf Coast today. Large amounts of ash found in the sediments indicate that volcanoes were particularly active at this time.

A remarkable specimen of a fine, large, sub-fossilised egg of the Aepyornis maximus, popularly known as the 'giant elephant bird', featuring a beautifully mineralised surface, with an area where the hatchling exited, expertly reattached, leaving little visible trace. 6.3 kg total, 49.5 cm high including stand, egg: 30 cm



Private collection of Professor Raniero Gnoli, located in Castel Giuliano, Bracciano, in the Province of Rome. According to Professor Gnoli, the egg was acquired by a relative in a Parisian gallery approximately a century ago.

The Aepyornis maximus was one of the largest birds to ever exist, a flightless giant reaching nearly 10 feet in height and native to the island of Madagascar. Extinct by the 17th century, this extraordinary bird has captivated human imagination for centuries and inspired numerous myths and literary works. The eggs surpass the size of any known dinosaur egg and could accommodate the volume of seven ostrich eggs, approximately 160 chicken eggs, or an astonishing 12,000 hummingbird eggs. These eggs, once common on the island, are now among the few physical remnants of this magnificent species. While the precise cause of the elephant bird’s extinction is unknown, evidence strongly points to human activity, including hunting and habitat destruction. As the bird vanished from Madagascar’s landscapes, its myth grew, merging with folklore to leave an enduring legacy that connects history with imagination. This intact egg stands as a rare and tangible link to a bygone era, offering a profound sense of wonder for a species that once roamed the earth as the largest bird in recorded history.