Christie’s 20th/21st Century
Art Evening Sale
Hong Kong Convention and
Exhibition Centre
Public Preview: 26 – 30 November, 2022
Auction: 30 November 2022
Estimate on request
Photo courtesy of Christie's
Shooting in Germany, 27 July 2022
Photographer: Marcus Müller-Witte, M.A
On 30 November, Christie’s will present Shen the T. rex – a rare, scientifically-important Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex) skeleton, researched by leading palaeontologists from global institutions. An historic moment, this will be the first time a T. rex skeleton has ever been offered at auction in Asia. The lot will highlight the 20th/21st Century Art Evening Sale during Christie’s Hong Kong Autumn Auction Week, and the estimate is available on request.
Shen the T. rex has been researched by the 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.
The skeleton will be displayed and auctioned at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, offering 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. The skeleton was previously on view at the Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall in Singapore (28 – 30 October 2022).
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.”
Facts at a glance:
- Rights to name your rex.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 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 sales of two dinosaur skeletons at Christie’s in New York:
Date: 6 October 2020
Estimate: US$6,000,000 – 8,000,000
Price realised: US$31,847,500
Christie’s, New York
World auction record for any dinosaur
skeleton or fossil ever sold at auction
Photo courtesy of Christie's
Date: 12 May 2022
Estimate: US$4,000,000 – 6,000,000
Price realised: US$12,412,500
Christie’s, New York
Photo courtesy of Christie's
Address:
Hall 3D, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, No.1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
CHRISTIE'S
