Lot 347
Trio of Dinosaur Feathers. At 125-135 million years old these three possible dinosaur feathers are some of the oldest feathers known exceeded in age only by the 150 million year old Archaeopterix bird feather from Solnhofen. The first protofeather that formed in dinosaurs was just a hollow barb made out of keratin the same protein that makes up our finger nails. The next step was the separation of the barbs into filaments forming a tassel-like feather. The largest of these feathers.8 inch long has a central barb with four different filament branchings similar to some neck or tail dinosaur feathers. The second feather is a .6 inch long most likely a body feather that has a weak center barb and small thin curved filament feathers radiating outward randomly. The third .5 inch feather has no center barb but just many thin filaments that may be head or body feathers. These feathers were found in a fossilized volcanic lake bed in Liaoning in Northeastern China, the sight where many types of feathered dinosaurs have been discovered. Although it is impossible to distinguish between bird and dinosaur feathers, the only flightless animals found in Liaoning have been dinosaurs so the probability is great that these are indeed dinosaur feathers. These valuable and well defined rare feathers are housed in a 8 x 6.5 inch Riker mount.
Add $15 for domestic shipping.
Estimated Value $650 - 850.
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