A few years ago now, we had the extraordinary pleasure to look around a private museum. The owner was an avid collector of fossil artefacts and had accumulated an amazing collection.
Now, I know some readers may want to know where this is, but we saw this several years ago and then, it was in the process of being sold. So there's no point in discussing where it used to be. We were just lucky.
Just imagine our surprise when we walked into this big shed, and saw this display laid out in front of us.
Some of the fossils embedded in stone were stunning in their detail.
Just look at this selection of prehistoric marine creatures forever preserved in stone.
This mammoth was a centrepiece. Where skeletal parts were missing, they had been cleverly replaced with pieces of steel worked into shape to complete the display.
A T-Rex head cleverly placed to look frightening and ready to make a meal of anything that walked past.
Even these ancient walrus looked like they could finish you off with one swipe of those enormous tusks.
This huge, ancient fish looked like some mutant piranha. Its incomplete skeleton was cleverly finished off with steels.
Other displays cleverly incorporated gnarled tree burls.
This bird was ready to pounce on its prey.
The owner was also a very talented sculptor and created this Toyota-Rex out of automotive bits and pieces.
Along with this bizarre looking piece.
Forget modern sharks and crocs, this thing would chomp you up in one bite.
You would not like to get this big boy angry.
Or this one.
Even the pedestal under this giant mollusc was impressive in its beauty. I'm sure it was some sort of petrified tree.
The owner was very skilful when it came to carving wood.
This sabre toothed tiger was stunning.
In another part of the museum there was a section devoted to ancient Egypt.
I came away from this visit feeling very privileged to have seen all these stunning, amazing displays. It was certainly a special day.
