The Tyrant King of the Auction House: The Disastrous “Fine Artification” of the Dinosaur

This article examines how fine art auctioneers market dinosaur fossils as art pieces to wealthy collectors, depriving the paleontological field of specimens for scientific research. Drawing from recent examples of fossils sold at fine art auctions, this article notes how rising auction prices for specimens as ‘art’ prevent museums and research institutions from acquiring specimens for research and restoration. Kolstad concludes that the art auction houses’ marketing of fossils as art is detrimental to paleontological research. To protect fossils and their scientific value, Kolstad proposes alternatives, such as selling replicas to collectors and highlighting the importance of original specimens for research. There is a “tyrant king” in the auction house—not the “tyrant lizard king” Tyrannosaurus rex—but the fine art dealer.