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Barnebys HQ
Brahegatan 10
BOX 5038
114 37 Stockholm
All auctions / Ethnographical / Cleoniceras Fossil Ammonite with Exposed Chambers...
Madagascar Cretaceous Ammonite on Gold-Coloured Metal Stand — Fascinating fossil ammonite of the genus Cleoniceras, from Madagascar and dating to the Early Cretaceous, approximately the Albian stage. A visually striking paleontological specimen, carefully prepared and presented on a gold-painted metal base, designed to support it vertically and transform it into an elegant display piece. The central part of the fossil has been sectioned and polished to highlight the complex internal structure of the shell. The cut allows a clear view of the succession of chambers that comprised the fragmocone, arranged in a regular spiral around the nucleus. In the animal’s life, these cavities were separated by septa and connected by a thin duct called a siphon, through which the ammonite regulated its orientation in the water. The chambers show a remarkable range of natural hues, from gray and beige to honey, amber, and reddish-brown. Some cavities have undergone mineralization and display small crystals that reflect light, creating delicate points of shine. The fine light lines that delineate the chambers make the internal architecture of the fossil perfectly legible. Along the outer areas, intricate sutural lines are visible, resembling small ferns, plant branches, or arabesques. These patterns represent the contact points between the internal septa and the shell wall and constitute one of the most characteristic features of evolved ammonites from the Cretaceous. Their complexity transforms the surface into a natural graphic composition, irreplicable in any individual specimen. Ammonites were marine cephalopod mollusks, distant relatives of today’s nautiluses, squids, and octopuses. They inhabited the oceans for hundreds of millions of years, diversifying into a vast array of forms before becoming extinct at the end of the Cretaceous, about 66 million years ago. Thanks to their wide distribution and rapid evolution, they today represent important guide fossils for dating sedimentary rocks. The golden support follows the curved profile of the shell and enhances its spiral geometry without concealing its details. The contrast between the gold-coloured metal and the warm mineralized hues gives the whole piece a refined and scenographic look, suitable for both a paleontological collection and a contemporary environment or a Wunderkammer. The photographs show the fossil from several angles and are an integral part of the description. Technical data Fossil: ammonite Genus: Cleoniceras Period: Early Cretaceous, Albian Provenance: Madagascar Preparation: central section ground to reveal the inner chambers Support: base in gold-colored painted metal
Estimate:£720.59
To the auctionView all items fromCatawikiorEthnographical
Estimate:
£720.59
OCT 17 | 10:00 PM
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