{"id":344238,"date":"2025-07-10T12:00:55","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T16:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.sothebysrealty.com\/?p=344238"},"modified":"2025-12-17T10:54:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T15:54:36","slug":"collecting-focus-natural-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/collecting-focus-natural-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Collecting Focus: Natural History"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are rare collectables\u2014and then there are dinosaurs and rocks from Mars, writes Katie Armstrong<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a>A mounted juvenile Ceratosaurus skeleton, one of only four in the world, to be offered in Geek Week 2025. Photograph: Courtesy of Sotheby\u2019s<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Ancient and classical sculpture will always be collectable, but some of the most intriguing sculptural objects that come to auction at Sotheby\u2019s are many thousands or millions of years older, from awe-inspiring fossils and dinosaurs to crystals, minerals and meteorites.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A highlight of Sotheby\u2019s New York\u2019s now annual <\/span>Geek Week<\/span><\/a>, which also encompasses <\/span>Space Exploration<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>History of Science & Technology<\/span><\/a>, July\u2019s <\/span>Natural History sale <\/span><\/a>is an opportunity to acquire rare and beautiful items central to the formation of life itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1997, Sotheby\u2019s made history with the first ever sale of a dinosaur at auction. \u201cSue,\u201d the most complete T-Rex fossil ever to have been discovered, sold for an astonishing US$8.3 million, and now lives in the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois. Since then, the auction house has held several landmark sales within the category, setting a new record for the most valuable fossil sold at auction when the Stegosaurus \u201cApex\u201d achieved US$44.6 million in 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span>“Apex” The Stegosaurus, sold in July 2024 for the world-record price of US$44.6 million. Photograph: Courtesy of Sotheby\u2019s<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Today, natural history is a booming market with wide-ranging appeal. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to have a special cultural understanding,\u201d says Cassandra Hatton, vice chairman and global head of science & natural history at Sotheby\u2019s New York, who led last year\u2019s \u201cApex\u201d sale. \u201cEveryone understands what dinosaurs are, whether you\u2019re 5 or 95.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hatton has been responsible for several other market-making sales in the category, including the first Gorgosaurus fossil to come to auction for just under US$6.1 million, the sale of \u201cMaximus\u201d the T. rex skull for the same price, and a Triceratops skull for US$661,500.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>A very large gogotte sandstone formation. Photograph: Courtesy of Sotheby\u2019s<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The collector base is global, she says, with buyers around the world eager to add natural history specimens to their collections\u2014and at different price points. For many, the motivation is twofold. \u201cObjects are both scientifically and historically important, but they are also really beautiful; they are something that you can live with,\u201d says Hatton.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Natural formations such as gogottes\u2014rare sandstone concretions found almost exclusively in Fontainebleau in northern France\u2014are perennially popular. Back in the 15th century, King Louis XIV was so seduced by them, he ordered numerous specimens to be excavated to decorate the Gardens of Versailles. They were also an inspiration to the Surrealist movement, as well as later artists like Louise Bourgeois and Henry Moore.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>A very large iridescent ammonite. Photograph: Courtesy of Sotheby\u2019s<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

These, alongside other natural phenomena such as ammonites\u2014visually stunning aquatic cephalopod fossils\u2014wouldn\u2019t look out of place in contemporary galleries. The fact these objects aren\u2019t man-made but occur naturally only adds to their exclusivity and appeal. We don\u2019t have the opportunity to experience Earth as it was millions of years ago and most of us will never visit space; fossils and meteorites are a tactile portal into these worlds.<\/span><\/p>\n

While natural history pieces can make for stunning standalone sculpture<\/span>,<\/b> Hatton has also seen them \u201cintegrated into the architecture\u201d or interiors of collectors\u2019 homes. \u201cThere are huge murals of flat-plate fossils\u2014big schools of fish\u2014that you can have as a whole wall or back splash in your kitchen,\u201d she says of one design trend she has observed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>A monumental sea lily (crinoid) colony. Photograph: Courtesy of Sotheby\u2019s<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Hatton is excited for the headline lot of Geek Week 2025: an exceptional <\/span>exhibition-ready, mounted Ceratosaurus skeleton<\/span><\/a>, one of four known in the world\u2014and the only juvenile. \u201cTo find a juvenile dinosaur of any kind is almost impossible,\u201d she says. \u201cTheir bones were so fragile and so thin, usually they were eaten. They were delicious!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But if a dinosaur is too much of a commitment, Sotheby\u2019s will also be offering something for the space geeks: \u201cthe largest piece of Mars on Earth\u201d as Hatton describes it. \u201cMost Martian meteorites are small, this is a 55-pound, huge rock, broken off of Mars by asteroid impact.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Martian Meteorite\u2014NWA 16788, to be offered in Geek Week 2025. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

One more delight of natural history bought at auction? Often, it isn\u2019t the last time these items are seen. \u201cMany collectors choose to donate or lend their acquisitions to museums,\u201d says Hatton. \u201cPart of the joy of acquiring specimens like this is sharing them with the public.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Our Collecting Focus series also features expert advice on<\/span><\/i> jewelry<\/span><\/i><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>watches<\/span><\/i><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>wine<\/span><\/i><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>historic books<\/span><\/i><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>modern and contemporary prints<\/span><\/i><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>fashion history<\/span><\/i><\/a> and<\/span><\/i> Americana<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/i><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are rare collectables\u2014and then there are dinosaurs and rocks from Mars, writes Katie Armstrong A mounted juvenile Ceratosaurus skeleton, one of only four in the world, to be offered in Geek Week 2025. Photograph: Courtesy of Sotheby\u2019s Ancient and classical sculpture will always be collectable, but some of the most intriguing sculptural objects that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":232770370,"featured_media":344239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1393],"tags":[1487],"class_list":["post-344238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-and-culture","tag-sothebys"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/header.png","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pf4gbL-1rye","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":387,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/significant-sales-2024-highlights\/","url_meta":{"origin":344238,"position":0},"title":"Significant Sales: 2024 Highlights","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"January 6, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"From a US$74.25M sale in Palm Beach Florida, to a \u00a315.5M sale in London, England, here are ten of the top sales represented by the Sotheby\u2019s International Realty global network in 2024. Palm Beach, Florida Todd Peter, Frances Peter | Sotheby's International Realty \u2013 Palm Beach Brokerage, US$74.25M View Properties\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Market Insights"","block_context":{"text":"Market Insights","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/market-insights\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":411,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/sothebys-international-realty-expands-in-tennessee\/","url_meta":{"origin":344238,"position":1},"title":"Sotheby’s International Realty Expands in Tennessee","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"February 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Sotheby's International Realty has announced that Realty Center of\u00a0Chattanooga\u00a0in\u00a0Tennessee\u00a0has joined the network and its two offices will now operate as Horizon Sotheby's International Realty. This addition signifies the brand's continued growth in\u00a0Tennessee\u00a0with six offices in the state. Horizon Sotheby's International Realty, headquartered in\u00a0Chattanooga, will serve communities spanning from\u00a0Athens, Tennessee, to\u00a0Dalton,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Brand News"","block_context":{"text":"Brand News","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/brand-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Chatanooga.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Chatanooga.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Chatanooga.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Chatanooga.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Chatanooga.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Chatanooga.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":343805,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/collecting-focus-latin-american-art\/","url_meta":{"origin":344238,"position":2},"title":"Collecting Focus: Latin American Art","author":"Kate Marburger","date":"April 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"From Mexican modernism to Brazilian sculpture, this thrilling collecting category is rapidly growing in prominence\u2014and now is the perfect time to invest, writes Florence Hallett Frida Kahlo\u2019s 1949 painting \u201cDiego y yo\u201d, exhibited at Sotheby\u2019s prior to its record-breaking US$34.9 million sale. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s From the surrealist dreamworlds of Remedios\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Art and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/art-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/header-3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/header-3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/header-3.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/header-3.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/header-3.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/header-3.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":346456,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/collecting-focus-fine-art-photography\/","url_meta":{"origin":344238,"position":3},"title":"Collecting Focus: Fine Art Photography","author":"Natalie Davis","date":"April 6, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"One couple\u2019s remarkable private collection perfectly captures the transportive power of photography, writes Katie Armstrong A 2024 exhibition of photography at Sotheby\u2019s New York. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s The world\u2019s oldest surviving photograph,\u00a0\u201cView from the Window at Le Gras,\u201d was taken by Joseph Nic\u00e9phore Ni\u00e9pce in the mid-1820s. The subject was simple:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Art and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/art-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"an exhibition of fine art photography at Sotheby's New York","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Photographs-Exhibition-Sothebys-New-York-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Photographs-Exhibition-Sothebys-New-York-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Photographs-Exhibition-Sothebys-New-York-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Photographs-Exhibition-Sothebys-New-York-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Photographs-Exhibition-Sothebys-New-York-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Photographs-Exhibition-Sothebys-New-York-1.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":430,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/sothebys-international-realty-expands-into-the-philippines\/","url_meta":{"origin":344238,"position":4},"title":"Sotheby’s International Realty Expands into the Philippines","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"March 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Sotheby's International Realty today announced the opening of Philippines Sotheby's International Realty, marking its 18th\u00a0office in\u00a0Asia. The company is headquartered in the financial and commercial hub of\u00a0Makati. Leading Philippines\u00a0Sotheby's International Realty is\u00a0Catherine Ocariz-Florencio, a seasoned real estate professional with over 15 years of industry experience. As the 2019 president of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Brand News"","block_context":{"text":"Brand News","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/brand-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eibner-saliba-3T9dDY0WqDI-unsplash.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eibner-saliba-3T9dDY0WqDI-unsplash.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eibner-saliba-3T9dDY0WqDI-unsplash.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eibner-saliba-3T9dDY0WqDI-unsplash.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eibner-saliba-3T9dDY0WqDI-unsplash.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eibner-saliba-3T9dDY0WqDI-unsplash.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":415,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/significant-sales-january-2025-highlights\/","url_meta":{"origin":344238,"position":5},"title":"Significant Sales: January 2025 Highlights","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"February 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"From a \u20ac$21M sale in Saint-Tropez, France, to a US$17.225M sale in Cambria, California, here are five sales represented by the Sotheby\u2019s International Realty global network in January. Spring Lake, New Jersey Elizabeth Hewson Judge, Michael Skea | Ward Wight International Realty, US$25M View properties in Spring Lake New Jersey\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Market Insights"","block_context":{"text":"Market Insights","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/market-insights\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Cambria-Header.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Cambria-Header.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Cambria-Header.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Cambria-Header.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Cambria-Header.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Cambria-Header.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/232770370"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=344238"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344238\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":345648,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344238\/revisions\/345648"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/344239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=344238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=344238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=344238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}