BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – I.M. Chait’s industry-leading Natural History sales are a showcase for once-in-a-lifetime specimens, like the spectacular meteorite from Mars that headlines the company’s May 6 auction. Extraordinarily rare, the fist-size rock that landed in an African desert last July 18 probably took hundreds of millions of years to travel from Mars to earth.

It is known as the Tissint Meteorite – a reference to the name of the Moroccan town nearest to where nomads in the Oued Drâa valley found the fusion-crusted stone after it made its dramatic landing. According to eyewitnesses, a yellow fireball streaked across the sky, turned a bright green color, then split into two parts as two loud sonic booms were emitted. Experts would later determine – amid much excitement – that the specimens found near Tissint had originated on Mars.

“Less than 0.1% of all known meteorites are recorded as Martian in origin, and since this was the first Martian meteorite fall to be observed since 1962, it is most likely the only such fall that will be observed in most current earth inhabitants’ lifetimes,” said Chait’s natural history director, Jake Chait.

The entire Tissint fall is thought to comprise little more than 10kg (approx. 22 lbs.) of material. London’s Natural History Museum holds a Tissint specimen weighing 1.1kg (approx. 2.4 lbs.) and considers it the most important meteorite of the last 100 years.

One quality that makes the Tissint Meteorite so significant is its freshness. Unlike meteorites that lay undiscovered for years – in some cases, thousands of years – it has not been contaminated by the earth’s soil, water or bacteria, and therefore is a very fresh and valuable resource for the study of its home planet’s geology. Tiny air bubbles trapped in the rock may even provide insight as to the atmosphere of the Red Planet. A truly superb specimen that weighs in at 10.5 oz. (298 grams), the Tissint Meteorite is expected to make $200,000-$300,000 at auction.

During the prehistoric period that the Tissint Meteor(ite) is likely to have departed Mars, the earth was inhabited by early dinosaurs and other exotic reptiles. Now animal and mineral specimens of that fascinating era will come together on the same planet in the same place, at I.M. Chait’s May 6 auction.

One of the sale’s top zoological lots is the skull of a baby (10-12 years old) triceratops found at the Hell Creek Formation in Montana, a site that produced many highly important fossils. The triceratops skull is one of very few of its type in existence. Its consignor acquired the specimen from the person who actually excavated it from the Hell Creek field. It will be offered with a $60,000-$80,000 estimate.

A jointed leg from a fearsome Tarbosaurus bataar (Tyrannosaurus) is more than 6½ feet tall and is presented on a custom metal armature. The leg dates to the end of the Cretaceous period, approximately 70 to 65 million years ago, and is in an exemplary state of preservation, from its warmly patinated surface to its wickedly curving, well-delineated claws. It could make $20,000-$25,000 on auction day.

Appropriately for the Year of the Dragon, I.M. Chait will auction a fossilized skull of a creature now known as an Ankylosaurid but originally thought to have been a dragon – and it’s easy to see why people of ancient times might have thought as such. The long snout, large spikes and cranial protrusions on the broad, flat-topped skull certainly suggest a dragon-like physiognomy. Very few Ankylosaurid remains have ever been found, more than warranting a $30,000-$40,000 presale estimate.

A fine and complete dinosaur skeleton measuring 39 inches long would be the ultimate prize on any CEO’s desk. The specimen is a remarkably well-preserved, fully articulated skeleton of a Psittacosaurus, a primitive member of the Ceratopsia, or horned dinosaurs. In a forward-crouching mode, this beautifully presented skeleton has a large parrot-beaked skull with distinctive jaws that once grabbed and shredded leaves with ease. It has a presale expectation of $10,000-$12,000.

In addition to their bones, dinosaurs left behind other evidence that they existed, like fossilized dung known in geological terms as “coprolites.” Two consecutive lots of coprolite fossils, cross cut and polished to reveal its inner coloration, are cataloged in the sale. A hefty 8-¼-inch wide multicolored specimen from the Morrison Formation in Utah is estimated at $800-$1,000; while a group lot of five coprolites, quite likely from ancient turtles, carries a $2,500-$3,500 estimate. Such specimens are very popular with collectors and always garner media interest. “Even the Wall Street Journal featured a coprolite from one of our past auctions on its front page,” said Jake Chait.

Dinosaur eggs of various types and species also will be available, ranging in size from 3 to 4 inches in diameter all the way to 16 inches for an Asiatic Gigantaraptor egg. The latter is estimated at $3,000-$4,000.

Chait’s sale includes the only fossil of an Indarctos zdanskyi (predecessor to the panda) ever to be offered at auction. “There may be one in a museum somewhere, but if so, its existence is not commonly known,” said Chait. “We don’t even know of a private collection that contains an Indarctos zdanskyi.”

The 16-inch-long “panda” skull is around 2 million years old. Like the “dragon” in the auction, it was found in central Asia. Mounted with jaws agape, the skull displays outstanding three-dimensionality, fine bone texture and coloration. Estimate: $65,000-$80,000.

A number of insects and taxidermied animals will be auctioned. Of particular note is a pair of large mosquitoes captured in amber resin while in the act of mating. Described in Chait’s catalog as “a perfect snapshot of prehistoric life,” the 2¼-inch-long golden-orange specimen of Baltic origin could realize $500-$700.

The Archaeological and Tribal Artifacts section of the sale includes an authenticated Egytian mummified human hand with a considerable amount of cloth wrapping still intact. It is at least 2,000 years old, putting it somewhere between the New Kingdom and Ptolemaic Eras. Estimate: $5,000-$6,000.

Other lots of interest include an attractive glass-encased display containing both hair and a tusk section from a Mammathus primigenius (woolly mammoth elephant), $1,200-$2,500); group lots of ancient arrow and spear points from North Africa, certified gemstones, and many other mineral specimens – from earth and beyond.

I.M. Chait’s Sunday, May 6 Important Natural History auction will commence at 11 a.m. Pacific Time at the company’s gallery located at 9330 Civic Center Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210. For additional information, call 1-800-775-5020 or 310-285-0182; or e-mail joey@chait.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Spurgeon’s April 28 Spring Antiques Auction, which will be held at the Mosby & Co. gallery in the Washington suburb of Frederick, Md., features 550 lots that range from sculptures, clocks and an old collection of Chinese soapstone to toys, historic Americana and a spectacular assortment of 19th- and early 20th-century posters. Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.com.

The approximately 100 pieces of soapstone, to be apportioned into 30 lots, are from a single-owner collection that was started 60 years ago. “It’s a completely unpicked collection. It hasn’t been touched in 30 years,” said Spurgeon, who regards the contents as a buying opportunity for dealers or those who may be seeking a way to get into the Asian art market.

Sculptures from multiple consignors represent both European and American artists. Among them are three Frank Polk Western bronzes, including one of a cowboy and horse titled “Two Old Timers.” A bronze depicting a male archer is signed “Schwatenberg, Germany,” likely referring to Spiro Schwatenberg (1898-1922). Another noteworthy sculpture was created from wood by the Lithuanian artist Romas Kvintas.

The auction features several paintings and prints by listed artists, including a late 18th-century French religious genre painting of the Holy Family and John the Baptist; and a Dutch oil on canvas depicting a man praying before a meal. A small collection of mantel and wall clocks, mostly American in origin, are entered in the sale, as are a dozen pieces of fine porcelain, including a large Rosenthal nude with horse.

Around 110 lots are reserved for toys. The lineup includes Easter Parade toys (new/old stock), a turn of the 20th-century Buster Brown and Tige cast-iron pull toy by Watrous, a near-mint/boxed Popeye Express with circling airplane, and an Effanbee Charlie McCarthy ventriloquist doll that is part of a small collection of McCarthy toys, including automotive types. Also in the mix are a Lionel 2271 train set with GG1 locomotive, and a collection of Punch and Judy toys, books, inkwells and cap guns, including an American-made figural example by Ives. A collection of toys simulating insects includes examples from as early as the 1890s.

A full set of 12 carved wood folk art figures, probably from the 1970s, portrays the cast of characters from the Popeye cartoons. They include some of the more offbeat characters, such as Sea Hag, Alice the Goon, and The Three Birds, with the largest figure standing 89 inches tall.

More than 50 original animation cels will be offered. Most originated at Warner Bros. Studios, and some date to the 1940s.

The highlight section of the sale is the posters. Among the top lots is an untouched 1899 Alphonse Mucha poster of Sarah Bernhardt in La Tosca. The consignor, a Hollywood producer, purchased the poster in Paris in the 1950s and has owned it ever since.

A complete set of Richard Avedon Beatles posters published in 1967 by the German magazine Stern will be offered as one lot. Each of the now-famous, vibrantly hued psychedelic posters measures 19 x 27 inches.

A tremendous variety of posters will be auctioned: circa-1890 Buffalo Bill Wild West Show promos from the showman’s French tour, a circa-1895 La Marque Georges Richard poster with artwork by “PAL” of both a bicycle and early auto, and many others with a circus, magic or transportation theme. An 1896 two-sheet panoramic published by Strobridge for Barnum & Bailey is a scrupulously detailed and colorful depiction advertising a traveling Indian village whose home life and occupations are “revealed to Christian eyes in living groups of strange and curious people.”

Among the best of the magic posters is an 1870s three-sheet that came from a Florida collection. The woodblock print advertising Samri S. Baldwin, a k a “The White Mahatma,” measures 81 x 42 inches.

Lithographed by Friedlander, a 1910 Wheel of Death motorbike-racing poster presents a bizarre scene of a skeleton holding a wood-slatted velodrome with three riders going full throttle around its inner sides.

The sale also includes a large selection of black Americana, including slave collars and shackles; a 19th-century faro gambling set, complete with a Moore’s patented Derringer; and a Virginia Confederate ballot for the election of Jefferson Davis. An Indy 500 “Pacemaker” medallion awarded to driver Paul Russo will be auctioned, as well. These medallions are presented exclusively to drivers who have led laps at the famous car race, and it is known that Russo qualified for the award both in 1956 and ’57.

Mosby & Co.’s Spring Antiques Auction will be held on Saturday, April 28, 2012 commencing at 10 a.m. Eastern Time at the company’s gallery at 5714-A Industry Lane, Frederick, MD 21704. For additional information, call 240-629-8139 or e-mail keith@mosbyauctions.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet through www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

HOLLISTON, Mass. – Steven Demers, president of Demers Auctions, will sell several Old Master paintings at his Spring Auction to be held on Saturday, April 21 at 2 p.m. Eastern. The auction and will be featured on Liveauctioneers.com and will include live Internet, absentee and limited telephone bidding.

Among the Old Master paintings included in the sale is a 16th century oil on panel painting attributed to Jan I Brueghel of figures and animals on a path in a vast landscape. Other highlights in the art department include works by Jules Pascin, Orientalist Charles Wida, Jean Pougny, Jules R. Herve, an etching by Henri Matisse and a litho by Georges Braque, as well as French, Italian, Russian and American School oils.

The vintage advertising portion of the sale is a single collector grouping of highly desirable porcelain enameled French bistro-style trade signs. The collection also includes many rare counter display chalkware items.

Highlighting the furniture category is an American Renaissance Revival gueridon with a game top attributed to Kilian Brothers. For the mid-century fans are a pair of Jens Risom armchairs from the Rison Studios, New York, circa 1950, and a Man Ray Les Grand Trans Parents mirror by Simon International 1971.

Preview for the event will be by appointment only at Demers’ warehouse located in Ashland Mass. To arrange viewing call the gallery: 508-245-9186.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. – The spring auction season will open up at Pook & Pook Inc. with a two-day sale, April 20 and 21. This 1,200-lot auction will showcase items from a number of estates and collections, beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern on Friday for the first 500 lots and continuing on Saturday at 9 a.m. for the second session. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

The Friday evening selection includes items for the Margaret Schiffer of West Chester, Pa., the estate of Virginia Whitely Thornton of York, Pa., the Heritage Center of Lancaster, Pa., and a southeastern Pennsylvania collection. The Saturday session will include the estates of Stuart J. Horn III of Wilmington, Carol Schoettle of Haverford and the collection of Charlene Sussel. Saturday will end with the collection of Mr. & Mrs. George Wolfe, which is highlighted by one of the premier American pewter collections in the country.

One of the furniture highlights is an excellent set of eight five-slat ladderback dining chairs from the Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania. In their original finish, the chairs have an $8,000-$12,000 estimate.

A desirable piece from the Schiffer Collection is a Philadelphia William & Mary walnut gateleg table. This early table, circa 1700, carries a brass plaque inscribed “George Deeble married 4-17-1669 to Dorothea Thorne.” It has a $10,000-$20,000 estimate.

A Pennsylvania tall-case clock from the Thornton estate is one of the highlights of the sale. The case has a detailed bonnet with carved flame finials, rosettes and central sunflower surrounded by c-scrolls and flowerets. The eight-day brass face works are signed “John Scott Conochochague.” It is pictured in James’ Pennsylvania Clockmakers, Watchmakers and Allied Crafts, figure 25, 26. It is expected to sell for $30,000-$50,000.

A garden fountain decorated in relief with turtles, frogs and lily pads was manufactured by J.W. Fiske & Co. of New York City. Fiske was the most prominent American manufacturer of decorated cast iron and cast zinc in the second half of the 19th century. The fountain has a $4,000-$6,000 estimate.

A Pennsylvania historical society has consigned of 38 stove plates, which have been deaccessioned. These plates were manufactured by a number of southeastern Pennsylvania furnaces.

A Feraghan carpet, circa 1910, from the Thornton estate measures 20 feet by 13 feet 5 inches. It has a &15,000-$18,000 estimate.

One of two fanciful illustrations by Irish artist Harry Clarke, who specialized in book illustrations and stained glass windows has a $10,000-$15,000 estimate.

Asian antiques include a massive Chinese ivory tusk, carved with a procession of warriors and dignitaries. It carries a $20,000-$30,000 estimate.

A vibrant set of six Pennsylvania chairs from the Wolfe collection is expected to raise $4,000-$7,000.

For more information go to www.pookandpook.com or call 610-269-4040.

View the fully illustrated catalogs and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE