T. rex skeleton to go on display in Singapore ahead of Hong Kong auction

SINGAPORE: The fossilised skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex will go on display in Singapore this month before it becomes the first such specimen to be offered at auction in Asia.

Nicknamed "Shen", or "god-like" in Chinese, the skeleton will be displayed at Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall from Oct 28 to Oct 30 as part of a preview for Christie's Hong Kong Autumn Auctions, which take place from Nov 25 to Dec 3.

According to Christie's, the value of the skeleton is estimated to be between HK$120 million and HK$200 million (US$15 million to US$25 million). It will go under the hammer on Nov 30.

Just two T. rex skeletons have previously been offered at auction: "Sue", which was sold by Sotheby’s for US$8.3 million in 1997, and "Stan", which was sold by Christie's for US$31.8 million in 2020.

The auction of Shen will be a first in Asia, which has also never had a T. rex on display in a museum, Christie's said.

Christie's had asked visitors to register for slots to visit the auction preview in Singapore. However, checks by CNA on Monday (Oct 17) evening showed that slots were no longer available. 

In response to a CNA query, a Christie's representative said that more booking slots would be released later in the week. 

Each registration is for one guest only, and each viewing slot lasts for 30 minutes.

The representative said that non-registered guests, or walk-ins, would be allowed, though the auction house could not guarantee how long they would have to wait to enter the display area.  

For the safety and comfort of visitors, visitors will be admitted on a "one guest in, one guest out" basis during peak times, the representative added.

The queue for walk-in visitors will be at the shaded foyer of the Arts House.

MUSCLE SCARS, BITE MARKS

Standing at 4.6m with a length of 12.2m, Shen weighs in at 1,400kg. 

The skeleton, which Christie's describes as being of "museum standard" and "54 per cent represented by bone density", was unearthed in the Hell Creek Formation in Montana, the United States, in 2020.

It is an adult T. rex, likely a male, that would have lived about 66 million to 68 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period.

Its fossilised bones are "well-preserved and quite solid", Christie's said, noting that details such as muscle scars, bite marks and osteoarthritis are visible on them.

About 79 of the dinosaur's bones were mounted with additional cast elements in an "anatomically accurate hunting pose".

The auction comes with "full rights and all soft assets" relating to the skeleton, and the winning bidder will be able to give it a new name if they wish.

WHO COULD WIN IT?

To find out what kind of bidder might end up becoming the new owner of the T. rex, CNA spoke to Mr Francis Belin, president of Christie's Asia Pacific.

"Fossils of prehistoric creatures are extremely rare and highly sought after. They have captured the imagination of collectors ever since their discovery in the 19th and early 20th centuries. With each species discovered came new fascination," he told CNA.

"We expect interest from museums, cultural institutions and private individuals across the globe, of all ages and interests, who collect across multiple categories."

Mr Belin said that the choice of Singapore as a location for the preview reflects Christie's "continued commitment, investment and confidence in Singapore as the key centre for Southeast Asia".

"Christie's have witnessed a surging appetite in Southeast Asia for our art and luxury categories, including objects of historical significance," he said.

Mr Belin said that he expects bidders from Singapore and Southeast Asia to be among those vying for the ownership of the skeleton.

"Buyers in Southeast Asia are increasingly sophisticated and selective across our categories – this is why we have responded with an unprecedented and diverse Autumn Auction preview in Singapore, that is thoughtfully curated and aims to shape and nurture their collecting tastes," he said.

Responding to a question about concerns among palaeontologists that putting rare fossils up for auction could result in specimens landing in the hands of private collectors and not museums, Mr Belin said: "It is the will of the consigner that the skeleton be presented at auction, and Christie's are honoured to be the chosen platform.

"It is our role to offer an open, fair auction process, in which museums, cultural institutions and private individuals all have the ability to participate at the same time."

"Given Shen the T. rex's scale and significance, it is possible that a private buyer may loan or donate the skeleton to a museum, and it is also possible that the skeleton will be purchased directly by a museum," he added.

"It is worth noting that only two T. rex skeletons have ever sold at auction, and both have gone to museums."

Mr Belin highlighted that the consigner had also invested in scientific research by academic palaeontologists "in the interest of accessibility, science and furthering knowledge".

The Singapore preview of Christie's Hong Kong Autumn Auctions will also feature 20th- and 21st-century works from Asian and Western artists as well as luxury items such as watches, handbags and jewellery.

These will be on display at the Arts House from Oct 29 to Oct 30.