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Lyme Regis fossil hunter Mary Anning's 'poo' letter auctioned Lyme Regis fossil hunter Mary Anning's 'poo' letter auctioned
(about 5 hours later)
A "rare" letter written and signed by Jurassic Coast fossil hunter Mary Anning is to be sold at auction. A "rare" letter written by Jurassic Coast fossil hunter Mary Anning has sold at auction for £100,000 - more than eight times its reserve price.
In 1811, at the age of 12, she unearthed the skull of an ichthyosaur in Lyme Regis, Dorset, and soon gained worldwide acclaim for her many other marine reptile fossil discoveries. Aged 12 in 1811, Mary unearthed the skull of an ichthyosaur in Lyme Regis, Dorset, and soon gained worldwide acclaim for reptile fossil discoveries.
The letter was sent to palaeontologist William Buckland in 1829 regarding a box of coprolite, or fossilised faeces. Her letter from 1829 was to palaeontologist William Buckland about a box of coprolite - fossilised faeces.
A crowdfunding appeal has been launched in a bid to bring the letter to Lyme. A crowdfunding appeal had been launched in a bid to bring the letter to Lyme.
The Jurassic Coast Trust and Lyme Regis Museum, which set up the appeal that has so far raised more than £12,500, described the letter as "a unique piece of local heritage and palaeontological history". The Jurassic Coast Trust (JCT) and Lyme Regis Museum, which set up the appeal that raised more than £40,000, described the letter as "a unique piece of local heritage and palaeontological history".
They hope the letter, which is estimated to fetch up to £12,000 at London's Sotheby's in an auction later, could be displayed in the museum, which is built on the site where Anning was born in 1799. They had hoped the letter, which was estimated to fetch up to £12,000 at London's Sotheby's auction, could be displayed in the museum, which is built on the site where Anning was born in 1799.
Chris Reedman, from the trust, said: "At the time the letter was written... that sort of material wasn't preserved." However, it actually sold for £100,800 to an anonymous private collector, a spokeswoman for the auction house said.
He said the fact Anning was a woman also meant some of her letters were not as highly regarded. Lucy Culkin, chief executive of the JCT, described the public support as "phenomenal".
"In the 19th Century, particularly in science, women's views sadly weren't perceived in the same way that men's were," he said. "We are of course disappointed that the letter will not be in Mary's home town and that perhaps it will not be as accessible to visitors as we would have liked, but hope the buyer may get in touch to talk to us about how we might work together for the benefit of future aspiring geologists and paleontologists who visit the Jurassic Coast each year," she said.
'Diminished her importance''Diminished her importance'
Sotheby's said: "With its mixture of acute observation, deep knowledge, multiple references to female friendship, and canny salesmanship, this letter gives voice to Mary Anning. It is also a real rarity.Sotheby's said: "With its mixture of acute observation, deep knowledge, multiple references to female friendship, and canny salesmanship, this letter gives voice to Mary Anning. It is also a real rarity.
"Mary Anning was a working-class woman based in the provinces with no attachment to any prestigious institution and who engaged with natural history on a commercial basis: the scientific establishment had plentiful reasons to diminish her importance."Mary Anning was a working-class woman based in the provinces with no attachment to any prestigious institution and who engaged with natural history on a commercial basis: the scientific establishment had plentiful reasons to diminish her importance.
"It is only in recent decades that her scientific role has begun to be acknowledged.""It is only in recent decades that her scientific role has begun to be acknowledged."
The Jurassic Coast Trust said: "This is a very rare opportunity to bring the letter back to Lyme Regis. It should be here." Who was Mary Anning?