Antique Sawfish Rostrum Bill Specimen
I need this information for a letter of determination from NOAA in order to legally sell it. Once I have a positive letter, I would like to sell. I would like the age(hoping for very old of course). I also need this information from a certified appraiser. Thank you 😊
31 1/2" by 6"(including two teeth on each side).
Auction House
Yes
Hi, Stephanie,
Selling natural history artifacts from animals is complex. Sales within the the state may be legal; but outside of state are not. You note NOAA, and from this, I assume you are aware. Other agencies, federal and globally watch for the sale of endangered animal examples. I am surprised the auction house you purchased this from did not include provanance records or the indication that your purchase may be a' final sale' based on the inability to prove the age of the example and the sourcing year.
From images; it is difficult to see any fossilization or mineralization of the example, and this leads me to believe that this is a contemporary example, one that does not fall under fossilization and pre-code exemption. But, as these are only images to assess from; you may want to consult with an in-person evaluator. You could set an appointment with a regional university, library, or a different auction house from where you purchased the example for second opinion.
Previous: Hi, Stephanie,
Do you have the past auction house and provenance information? It will all be helpful in creating an assessment.
Thank you, amber
I bought it at a small auction house in Florida. I'm in the process of asking if I can connect with the seller to ask about the provenance. So as of now, I don't have that.