It's a controversy like the art market is crazy about it, with its paintings at auction which change signature from one sale to another and quadruple their price, its doctored archeology pieces, its 18th century chests of drawers flanked by “modern” drawers and… its “settling of scores at OK Corral” between competing auctioneers and experts consumed with jealousy… This Tuesday, it's a dinosaur skeleton, auctioned at a “Naturalia, minerals and fossils ”in Drouot (Paris, 9th arrondissement) by the Binoche and Giquello house, which sows trouble.
The beast measures no less than 10 meters, an exceptional size.
Allosaurus sp.
Upper Jurassic (150.8 to 145.5 million years ago) was discovered in the state of Wyoming in the United States.
It is on sale at 1.2 million euros!
"Ready to pounce, mouth open"
The skeleton, specifies the Giquello house, "presented on the lookout", "ready to pounce, the mouth open", "a mouth full of teeth in the shape of knives", presents "obvious traces of trauma on three ribs probably due to injuries. clashes with congeners or prey ”.
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Eric Mickeler, expert in natural history and specialist in dinosaurs who works for competing houses, is at the origin of the dispute.
He has moved heaven and earth to try to cancel the sale.
He puts forward “the presentation of false scientific documents”, “the right foot of the specimen replaced by a copy”, “the erasure of a so-called dental bone”, “its questionable authenticity”…
The sale will take place
This Monday, all these little people were summoned to the Council of Voluntary Sales (CVV), the gendarmes of the art market mandated by the State.
At 6.30 p.m., the CVV, which considers this case to be "a quarrel of experts" and defends "the good faith of the auctioneer", ruled: "It appeared that the elements alleged by the applicant
(Editor's note: Eric Mickeler)
were not such as to allow the chairman of the Sales Council to suspend the sale.
The description of the skeleton made by the auction house, distinguishing between original parts and reconstituted parts, is in accordance with the practice and the rules.
The request to suspend the sale was rejected.
"
"It is 70% complete", the rest is "in resin"
Alexandre Giquello, the auctioneer, is not surprised and sweeps away any controversy: “There is no deception on this skeleton.
We were very clear in the catalog.
We're not hiding anything.
It is 70% complete, which is already exceptional.
The rest is resin.
"And to continue:" I do not want to comment on this gentleman
(Editor's note: Eric Mickeler)
.
I see that he has trouble with the classic competition rules and I suspect a conflict of interest.
"
The skeleton of this allosaurus sp.
Upper Jurassic measures no less than 10 meters.
DR
An “art policeman” on condition of anonymity deciphers the case: “A complete dinosaur skeleton does not exist.
They are extracted from the rock.
There is always breakage.
"
In 2018, two dinosaur skeletons, also discovered in the same American state, put on sale at Artcurial between 500,000 and 800,000 euros, had triggered the wrath of the same expert.
Eric Mickeler seized the CVV, asking for the withdrawal of the two controversial lots.
In vain.
The sale had taken place but… the two dinosaurs had not found a buyer.
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“Naturalia, minerals and fossils”, room 5-6, Drouot-Richelieu, 9, rue Drouot, in Paris (9th). Exhibition this Tuesday October 13 from 11 am to noon, sale this Tuesday afternoon, at 3 pm. Phone: 01.47.42.78.01