Giant Crinoid Wall Plaque

Ammonites are perhaps the most widely known fossil. These creatures lived in the seas between 240 - 65 million years ago, when they became extinct along with the dinosaurs. This lar...

This outstanding fossilised skeleton is that of the ancestral crocodile species Steneosaurus bollensis that lived during the early Jurassic period. The skeleton, complete with armoured plates, has been exquisitely preserved and recovered from the Holzmaden Oil Shale of south Germany. The crocodile was once buried in fine, muddy sediment 195 million years ago at the bottom of the Tethys Ocean, which once existed between Europe and Africa. The calm, deep water provided a rare anoxic (without oxygen) environment, which prevented the skeleton from any significant decomposition before burial. The mud has since been compressed into oil shale, leaving the immense skeleton completely in-tact. This specimen is one of the few skeletons of Steneosaurus bollensis ever to be discovered. We can deduce much about the life of this reptile from the size and perfect preservation of the piece. Similar to present-day crocodiles, we can see that the two front limbs of the Steneosaurus are much shorter than the back two. This indicates that crocodile ancestors were bipedal; indeed, we believe that crocodiles evolved from the same reptile species as the dinosaurs and airborne pterosaurs. Dinosaurs ruled the lands during the late Triassic and early Jurassic. This made terrestrial life increasingly difficult for ancestral crocodiles, as there were many predators and prey was scarce. However, the seas were rich in fish, shellfish, starfish, crabs, squid… You can even see fossil belemnite guards (bullet shells of squid-like organisms) and the beautiful spiral shells of ammonites preserved around the crocodile skeleton...

Mounted Albite and Tourmaline Mineral

About Us Since 1986 we have been sourcing the most unique fossils and minerals from around the world and through this company we have been supplying leading interior designers and collectors with some of earth’s most breathtaking examples of natural history that have formed over the past 450 million years. Having amassed a world-class collection of breathtaking specimens aimed at the interiors...

Giant vintage golfball in cream plaster/plastic. 8.5" diameter. Likely used as a store display. Whimsical desktop object or paperweight. Very heavy a...

Impressive and all handcrafted, early 1900s sculpture of Christ suffering. Just like in the days when Christ lived on our planet, the truth (about who we are and how to best live o...

Unusual Art Nouveau woman, relief carved wood and metal pipe holder wall plaque. Stunning nude, wonderful detailing.., bronze mounted, hand forged pipe holders, carved wood match hol...

Museum quality and condition work of religious art with amazing, hand carved details. This amazingly hand carved wooden wall plaque is not only of great quality and condition, it also has a patina that is unlike anything you ever saw. Over the decades we have sold a number of unique and interesting crucifixes, but we had not yet come across one that is inside such a beautiful branches and leaf frame in the Swiss Black Forest style. For us to have found it in this amazing condition again felt like a blessing and we are grateful to be able it to offer it to our 1stdibs clientele first. At the centre of this Christian-work-of-art-wall-plaque and behind the original, mouth-blown convex glass 'window' is an even more detailed sepiolite sculpture of Christ on the cross. The details in this crucifix sculpture...