A Paris auction house, Giquello, is set to auction on Thursday a one-of-a-kind leather bag made using material derived from Tyrannosaurus rex cells. Both reports say the item is expected to sell for more than US$500,000.
The bag was unveiled earlier, in spring, in Amsterdam. According to the South China Morning Post, its production uses traces of collagen taken from the T. rex femur of a specimen found in Montana, in the United States, about 25 years ago. The collagen is then used in a cell-culture process, described as involving biotechnologies that guide cultured cells to produce material referred to as genuine T. rex skin.
Phys.org focuses on the auction details and the estimated price, while the South China Morning Post provides additional context about the source fossil material and the steps used to create the final product. The auction itself is scheduled for Thursday at Giquello in Paris.
