From the lower Jurassic (circa 184 million years ago), Posidonienschiefer Formation (Posidonia Shale, Lias epsilon), Lower Toarcian, the 2.5 and 1.2m long specimens of Stenopterygius quadriscissus found separately, and mounted into dramatic swirling pose.
138 x 79 x 98in. (350 x 200 x 250cm.)

Böttcher, R. Neue ‘Erkenntnisse über die Fortpflanzungsbiologie der Ichthyosaurier (Reptilia)’, Stuttgarter Beitr. Natukde, Ser. B, 164: 1-52, (1990).
Maisch, M.W.’ Revision der Gattung Stenopterygius Jaekel, 1904 emend. von Huene, 1922 (Reptilia: Ichthyosauria) aus dem unteren Jura Westeuropas’ Palaeodiversity, 1: 227-271, (2008).
Maisch, M.W. & Ansorge, J. ‘The Liassic ichthyosaur Stenopterygius cf. quadriscissus from the lower Toarcian of Dobbertin (northeastern Germany) and some considerations on lower Toarcian marine reptile paleobiogeography’, Paläontologische Zeitschrift, 78(1): 161-171 (Stuttgart: 2004).
Maxwell, E.E. ‘New metrics to differentiate species of Stenopterygius (Reptilia: Ichthyosauria from the Lower Jurassic of southwestern Germany’, Journal of Paleontology, 86: 105-115, (2012).
Reisdorf, A.G.; et al. ‘Float, explode or sink: postmortem fate of lung-breathing marine vertebrates’, Palaeobiodiversity and palaeoenvironments, 92(1): 67-81, (Frankfurt: 2012).

This lot will be removed to Christie’s Park Royal. Christie’s will inform you if the lot has been sent offsite. Our removal and storage of the lot is subject to the terms and conditions of storage which can be found at Christies.com/storage and our fees for storage are set out in the table below - these will apply whether the lot remains with Christie’s or is removed elsewhere. Please call Christie’s Client Service 24 hours in advance to book a collection time at Christie’s Park Royal. All collections from Christie’s Park Royal will be by pre-booked appointment only. Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 9060 Email: cscollectionsuk@christies.com. If the lot remains at Christie’s it will be available for collection on any working day 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. Lots are not available for collection at weekends.
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Lot Essay

These two extraordinary Ichthyosaurs were excavated in several dozen blocks, and each fossil bone was painstakingly removed from its matrix, with dentists' tools, a micro-sander, many glues to indurate the bones and make them stabilized; before being pieced back into the three-dimensionaljigsaw puzzle that is the current mount. Most Ichthyosaur specimens have been presented "flat" in their original matrix or a lighter media. To have these two preserved in three dimensions is incredibly rare and a testament to the quality of the prep-work undertaken.
The first complete Ichthyosaur skeleton was found at Lyme Regis in 1811 by Mary Anning (of "she sells sea-shells on the seashore" fame). The order Ichthyosauria was introduced in 1840 by Sir Richard Owen, and today about 80 species are recognised. They take their name from the Greek for "fish lizards" and are an excellent example of convergent evolution. It is thought that they evolved from land-based lizards moving into the sea, eventually converging on the shape of the fish upon which they preyed.