Christie’s Announce That Rare Tyrannosaurus Rex Skeleton, Shen, Is To Be Offered At Auction In Asia

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On The Table Read, “the best entertainment magazine in the UK“, Christie’s will present, for the first time, a rare Tyrannosaurus Rex for auction during Christie’s Hong Kong Autumn Auction Week.

20th/21st Century Art EveningSale, 30 November 2022

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Public Previews
Singapore, Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall: 28 – 30 October
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre: 26 – 30 November

Christie’s will present Shen the T-Rex – a rare, scientificallyimportant Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, on November 30ths. Researched by leading palaeontologists from global institutions, this historic moment will be the first time a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton has ever been offered at auction in Asia.

During Christie’s Hong Kong Autumn Auction Week, the lot will highlight the 20th/21st Century Art Evening Sale. The estimate is available on request, in the region of: HK$120,000,000 – 200,000,000 / US$15,000,000 – 25,000,000.

Shen The T-Rex

Leading academic palaeontologists, Dr. David A. Burnham, Professor of Palaeontology and Theropod specialist, and Dr. John R. Nudds, Professor of Palaeontology, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester researched Shen the T-Rex.

At Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall in Singapore, you can view the skeleton physically before it is moved to be displayed and auctioned at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This offers an incredible opportunity for collectors, science enthusiasts, and dinosaur fans alike to view and learn about this iconic prehistoric predator.

Christie’s are dedicated to sharing monumental moments such as this as widely as possible, as part of their commitment to fostering education and appreciation for art and cultural treasures.

Christie’s

Francis Belin, President, Christie’s Asia Pacific, commented, “It is an honour to be entrusted with the first auction in Asia of a T. rex skeleton – a groundbreaking moment for the market in the region. This is a world-class specimen for museums and institutions, and its auction in Hong Kong in November offers an unprecedented opportunity for APAC collectors to own an exceptional piece of our global natural history.

“Shen the T-Rex significantly diversifies our Hong Kong Autumn Auction sale offerings this year, following in the footsteps of two outstanding dinosaur skeletons auctioned at Christie’s in New York – STAN the T-Rex, which sold for a record-breaking US$31.8 million in 2020, and most recently this May, The Raptor, which sold for US$12.4 million. We have witnessed a growing demand in the region for objects of historical significance, and we sincerely look forward to engaging museums, institutions, collectors and the general public around the world for this remarkable opportunity.”

James Hyslop, Head of Science & Natural History, Christie’s, added, “From its surging, bloodthirsty stance, to its remarkable preservation, this is one of the most scientifically studied T-Rex skeletons to come to auction. After the unforgettable, record-breaking sale of STAN at Christie’s New York in 2020, it is a thrill and an immense privilege for us to be trusted with the sale of another wonderous T-Rex skeleton.”

Georgina Hilton, Head of Classic Art, Christie’s Asia Pacific, added, “On both a professional and personal level, it will be an extraordinary moment for me to see, in reality, Shen the T-Rex fully assembled in all its ferocious glory. Sharing this opportunity with our esteemed collectors and engaging museums and educational institutions is wonderfully exciting, and it will undoubtably bring a great learning experience for all ages when it is on show to the public at Singapore’s Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall and at the HKCEC in Hong Kong.

“The spotlight is clearly on dinosaurs in Hong Kong, with the skeleton’s sale following the Science Museum’s exhibition, The Big Eight – Dinosaur Revelation, and we are delighted to provide a further platform for the public to view and learn about this phenomenal part of our natural history. Shen the T-Rex is sure to be an unforgettable highlight of our Autumn Auction Season.”

About Shen

Facts at a glance:

• Rights to name your T-Rex. Auctioned with full rights and all soft assets relating to it, the new
  owner will be able to name the skeleton as they wish.
• Shen the T-Rex measures in at a colossal 12.2 metres long, 4.6 metres high and 2.1 metres
  width (43ft L x 16ft H x 7ft W) and weighs 1,400 kg.
• The skeleton was unearthed in the USA, in McCone County, Montana, in the Hell Creek
  Formation.
• Dynamically poised as though in the midst of a hunt, Shen the T-Rex is in a scientifically
  accurate pose epitomising the T-Rex’s infamous ferocity.
• Shen the T-Rex would have lived during the Cretaceous Period, approximately 68 – 66 million
  years ago.
• The skeleton is museum standard and is 54% represented by bone density.

Previous Dinosaurs Sold At Christie’s

Stan The T-Rex

STAN the Tyrannosaurus rex
Date: 6 October 2020
Estimate: US$6,000,000 – 8,000,000
Price realised: US$31,847,500
Christie’s, New York

The Raptor

The Raptor
Date: 12 May 2022
Estimate: US$4,000,000 – 6,000,000
Price realised: US$12,412,500
Christie’s, New York

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