Two days of valuations in four locations and over two counties yielded some amazing results – including a rare 70-million-year-old rare dinosaur egg, writes Charles Hanson
Two days of valuations in four locations and over two counties yielded some amazing results – including a rare 70-million-year-old rare dinosaur egg, writes Charles Hanson
I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating – nowhere comes up with ‘finds’ like Devon and Cornwall and I’m not entirely sure why.
The peninsular is certainly rich in maritime history, artistic schools and vernacular antiques.
And it might just be far enough away from the capital to have ensured wonderful pieces have stayed in the West Country.
One thing is for sure whenever we stage our own version of Antiques Roadshow in the area, you never fail to impress.
I was thrilled to meet so many of you at two valuations in Devon last week, in Great Torrington and Okehampton; while my colleagues from the Penzance saleroom Darren and Rob assessed treasures in Redruth and at Jamaica Inn on Bodmin Moor.
And boy, did we uncover some treasures – with everything from sparkling jewellery to early Delft plates on show.
But one special find really egg-cited me.
It came in the rather ungainly shape of a dinosaur egg which was bought in to our valuation at Jamaica Inn from an owner in Callington.
You could say it was a cracking find of an eggs-traordinary nature.
I have loved fossil hunting in Devon since childhood and well remember combing the beach for ammonites – each one a spiral gateway to a 200-million-year-old history.
But this one was more recent than those on the Jurassic Coast albeit by a mere 130 million years in the Late Cretaceous Period.
It came from a dinosaur known as a Therizinosaur which would have roamed the earth, alongside the Tyrannosaurus rex and other titanosaurs, some 70 million years ago.
The Theriinosaur is just about one of prehistory’s strangest creatures – measuring 10m and covered in feathers, it was a long-necked, pot-bellied plant eater with enormous claws.
Cornwall is a long way from its native home of Mongolia, where some of the world’s most important Therizinosaur discoveries have been made in the fossil-rich deposits of the Gobi Desert.
The fossil egg, preserved over tens of millions of years, offers a wonderful connection to a lost prehistoric world which existed shortly before the extinction of the dinosaurs around 66 million years ago.
From Hollywood A-listers from Russell Crowe to Nicolas Cage and Leonardo DiCaprio, who have all paid thousands for dinosaur skeletons, there has been a growing market for fossils.
Throw into the mix natural history buffs and even interior designers and suddenly prehistory is big business.
The dinosaur egg will go into our July 7 auction with an estimate of £250-£350 and, fingers crossed, it could do a roaring trade.
Auction Details
Auction: Cornwall July Antiques Auction to include Jewellery, Silver & Watches, with Collectors & Asian
Auction date: 7th July 2026 | 10am
Location: Hansons Cornwall Saleroom
Auction contact: service@hansonsauctioneers.co.uk
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com