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Weird and Dead Stuff

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WHERE ON EARTH?
Weird and Dead Stuff

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WHERE ON EARTH?
Weird and Dead Stuff
Facebook   Ebay   Etsy   Shopping Cart  

You are on Sawfish Bills Page 1

Contents:  Sawfish bills (rostrum): great tooth sawfish blade, small tooth sawfish blade, Knife tooth sawfish bills

UPDATE 2018

DO NOT CALL US TO BUY YOUR SAWFISH BILL.  WE ARE NOT BUYING.  Read below.
All sawfish and knifefish species were upgraded to "Critically Endangered" in 2014.  These items are shown for display only on this page.

We have never received an absolute confirmation from N.O.A.A. in Atlanta regarding the legality of selling inter-state and intra-state in our particular region in South Carolina.  Each region seems to differ.  California told one customer it was okay to sell within the state.  Florida can and will confiscate one, even if attempted to be sold locally within the state.  I can assume you can re-sell a vintage sawfish bill within your state except for Florida but this is no guarantee. 


If you want a value for your bill, use the description in the header of the 3 types of sawfish bills, count the number of teeth on one side, find a similar bill.  Divide the retail price by the number of inches.  That gives you the inch price.  Multiply that by the inches of your sawfish bill.

DO NOT TRY TO SELL YOUR SAWFISH BILL ON EBAY.  They will take the auction down and ding your account.

We hope, due to these strengthened laws, that these beautiful creatures will multiply over the years to come, and never go extinct.  We donate liberally to conservation groups to continue to monitor these species and all other species in danger of extinction, to bring them back to healthy numbers.

NOTE:  The international trade of all sawfish bills were banned by the C.I.T.E.S. convention in June 2007 due to their being categorized as ENDANGERED, Appendix I.

This means that no more can be caught.   Re:  selling your bill:  "Provenance" of  vintage sawfish bills over 100 years of age is almost impossible to obtain, as most have had a sawfish bill passed down through generations without paperwork.  No one thought to keep proof of date of capture 100 years ago, anticipating it to be endangered in the future.
You cannot sell it on ebay.
We are not buying or selling any sawfish bills, until we receive written confirmation from our Atlanta regional N.O.A.A. that we can do so.  We may have to drive there to get a face-to-face meeting to get that determination.  If that changes any statement made above, we will change this page accordingly.  Until then, do not offer us any sawfish bills for sale.

 

GREAT TOOTH SAWFISH BLADE (rostrum)

(also called Leichhardt's sawfish, Freshwater sawfish, Large tooth sawfish); (Pristis microdon), 

now an endangered species.  These specimens come from collections long pre-dating the endangered status.

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrichthyes

Subclass:  Elasmobranchii

Order:  Pristiformes

Family: Pristidae

Genus: Pristis

Genuine saw fish bills from northern Australia, and from Bangaladesh. The largetooth sawfish is a heavily-bodied sawfish with a short but massive saw which is broad-based, strongly tapering and with 14 to 22 very large teeth on each side - the space between the last two saw-teeth on the sides are less than twice the space between the first two teeth.  found in shallow tropical Indo-West Pacific oceans from East Africa to Papua New Guinea, north to the Philippines & Viet Nam, Bangladesh, coast of India, and south to Australia. 

The sizes of these blades make a SPECTACULAR wall display

U.S. shipping only, Fedex ground insured shipping will be calculated to 48 states, Fedex Express to Alaska & Hawaii


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#SAW-6-F

Juvenile Great Tooth Sawfish bill

Measures 17-3/4" long x 3-3/4" wide base, 1-3/4" across tip; 5/8" thickest; 35 teeth plus 2 broken teeth; largest teeth are 7/8" long

$675 
SOLD

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#SAW-6-I

Bill measures 24" long x 5-1/2" widest; 41 teeth, worn but not broken; white & red striped bottom painted on both sides

$600  SOLD


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#SAW-6-J

Bill measures 25-3/4" long x 5-1/2" widest; 29 teeth + 5 broken; red, white & black stripes painted on front

$550  SOLD

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#SAW-6-P

Bill measures 36-3/4" long x 5-1/4" across base, 

2-3/4" across tip.

4 missing teeth, 5 damaged teeth

41 teeth (21 right, 20 left)

$2200  SOLD






#SAW-6-Q

18 sets of teeth (bottom left tooth is the only one showing damage)

14" long x 2-1/2" wide

Metal hanger hung through 2 drilled holes in back side.

$380
SOLD





#SAW-6Y

19 teeth each side
1 short, 1 chipped, normal wear

Bill itself is 31-1/2” tall,
6-1/2” across bottom of bill
3” across top of bill
With base, 33-1/2” tall x 8-3/4” wide x 6-1/2” deep
Weight: 6 pounds 9 ounces

Brass plaque on front says:
“SAWTOOTH BILL
From A Sawfish
A Most FormidableEnemy Of The Deep Seas
Off The Coast Of India
It Will Attack Swimmers Without Provocation”

$1750





#SAW-6-Z

Measures 33-7/8" long x 7" wide at base (3-1/8" across tip) x 7/8" thickest
17 teeth on left side, 20 teeth right side. No teeth missing, 1 broken tooth

$1700 
SOLD

 

SMALLTOOTH SAWFISH BLADE (rostrum) 

(Pristis pectinata) 23-34 teeth per side

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The sizes of these blades make a terrific wall display.  More information below.

Actual Fedex ground insured shipping to 48 states will apply, or Fedex express to Alaska & Hawaii.

NO SHIPPING OUTSIDE THE U.S. for these items.

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#SAW-6-2

Sawfish bill shown front and back.  It measures a full 31-1/4" long; 29 pairs of teeth average size 7/8"; bill is 4-1/2" across at the base, 3-1/4" across at the tip, 15/16" thick.  Indelible ink on front says "Sawfish 12.5 feet" indicating the size of this fish.

$1400 

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#SAW-6-4

Bill is 34-1/4" long x 6-1/8" wide at base, 2-1/4" wide at tip, 1-3/8" thickest; 52 teeth (3 missing teeth); average size of teeth: 1-1/8"

$1500  SOLD

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#SAW6-7

Bill (painted green on both sides) measures 19-1/2" long x 2-3/4" wide; 40 teeth + 2 broken; tip missing

$400

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#SAW-6-8

Bill measures 34-3/4" long x 4-3/8" across base, 2-1/4" across tip

24 sets of teeth; 1 damaged tooth, upper right; base rough

$1500 SOLD

#SAW-6-9

SMALL TOOTH SAWFISH BILL

27-3/8" long x 2-3/8" across base

27 sets of teeth; 7 damaged teeth, 2 missing teeth

$1200

#SAW-6-10

27-1/8" long x 2-5/8" wide across base

28 sets of teeth; 8 damaged teeth

$1200





#W-6-11

33-1/4" long, 31 sets of teeth; 7 damaged teeth

$1400  SOLD to B





#W-6-12

31-1/4" long, 26 sets of teeth; 6 damaged teeth, 2 near tip are missing

$1400

MORE ABOUT FLORIDA SAW FISHES

Sawfishes belong to a group of fishes called elasmobranch that includes sharks, rays, and skates.  All Elasmobranch species have a skeleton made of cartilage like sharks.  Sawfishes are actually a type of ray.  Sawfishes all fit into one family known as Pristidae, derived from a Greek term meaning "saw".  Sawfishes possess the characteristic long, flattened, toothed saw, a flattened head and trunk, and a shark-like appearance and manner of swimming.  Once lost, the teeth along the saw are not replaced.  Sawfishes worldwide are poorly studied and no one knows for sure the number of living species, but there are an estimated four to seven species worldwide.

Smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) 23-34 teeth per side

Largetooth sawfish (Pristis perotteti).  17-22 teeth per side

 The ranges of both species have been reported to include Florida, but only three specimens of the largetooth sawfish have ever been reported from Florida.  The typical range of the largetooth sawfish is further south and west of the state.  The smalltooth sawfish is by far the most often reported species of sawfish on both coasts of Florida.  Hundreds of specimens have been reported throughout Florida, today  more in southwest FL.

Here is a photo of a sawfish at the Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach:

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KNIFE TOOTH SAWFISH
The knifetooth sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidata), also known as the
pointed sawfish or narrow sawfish, is a species of sawfish in the family Pristidae, part of the Batoidea or extension on their snout. This is lined with sharp transverse teeth, arranged in a way that resembles the teeth of a saw. It is found in the shallow coastal waters and estuaries of the Indo-West Pacific, ranging from the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf to southern Japan, Papua New Guinea and northern Australia Anoxypristis, but was previously included in the genus Pristis. Compared to that genus, Anoxypristis has a narrower rostral saw with numerous teeth on the distal part and no teeth on the basal quarter. This endangered species reaches a length of up to 15 feet long.  Smallest of the 3 sawfish bills.
Teeth:  18-22 pairs, up to 25 pairs.

#SAW-6-AA

Knife Tooth Sawfish bill

Measures 18-1/4" long x 1-1/2" across base, 7/8" across tip

$388  SOLD

#SAW-6-BB

Knife Tooth Sawfish bill

Measures 18" long x 1-3/8" across base, 7/8" across tip

$382  SOLD





#SAW-6-CC

Measures 16” long x 2-1/4” widest at base, 1-1/4” average in middle, 3/4” at tip.
Tip is complete, teeth complete; worn teeth near cut end.
46 teeth; average size of teeth: 1/2” showing.

$441  
 SOLD
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#SAW-6-DD

Bill is 19-5/8" long x 1-1/2" wide base, 1-1/8" wide at tip; 1/2" thick; 37 teeth plus 1 partial tooth; average size of teeth: 5/8"

$475 SOLD

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#SAW-6-EE

Bill is 20-3/4" long, x 1-1/2" wide base, 7/8" wide at tip; 1/2" thick, 39 teeth, average size of teeth: 7/8"

$475  SOLD

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#SAW-6-MM

Bill measures 14-1/2" long x 1-1/2" wide; 44 teeth, slightly worn

$400

   

   

#SAW-6-NN

16” tall x 1-3/8” wide; 44 teeth, some damaged but not missing

$440
   

   

#SAW-6-OO

15-1/2” tall x 1-1/4” wide; 38 teeth, none damaged

$430  SOLD

 

FOSSIL SAWFISH ROSTRUM TOOTH

PRISTIS (SAWFISH) ROSTRAL TOOTH

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Florida, U.S.A.

MIOCENE PERIOD: 23 million years ago

This is a fossil sawfish rostral tooth from the pristis species of sawfish.  Similar to the modern day sawfish, this creature had a long, hard shovel-shaped snout lined on both sides with long, spine-like teeth (these are the spine-like teeth offered for sale here).  Modern Sawfish are very lethargic animals, spending much of their day nestled in the muddy sea/river floor. At night, they scull slowly through the shallows, using their sensitive saw to find buried prey, which are then raked from the sediment to be consumed. It is useful to view the sawfishes' unique rostrum like a metal detector combined with a clam rake.  If small fishes, like mullet, swim past a hungry sawfish, this great ray will launch from the bottom, slashing its toothy weapon rapidly side to side. Gouged by the snout's awl-shaped teeth, injured fishes tumble to the sea floor, now immobilized and easy to catch. The toothy rostrum is also a weapon of defense. When threatened, sawfishes will smack this jagged sword against attackers, whether they be sharks or fishermen. Generally, though, sawfishes are very gentle animals, preferring to lie quietly, undisturbed.

Roughly 40 species of modern sawfishes are known; only a handful survive today.

This is a single tooth from the sawfish bill, from the extinct species Onchopristis Numidus.  Found at the Tegana Formation in Kem Kem Morocco.  This was a member of the sawfish family tht used its barbs to stun & impale prey. Not repaired.  Excellent condition

Cretaceous period, 100 million years old



#SAW-7-2

3-3/4" linear measurement x 3/4" wide x 1/4" thick


$39


#SAW-7-3

(Broken tip); 3" long x 5/8" wide x 1/4" thick

$39