This is the stuff of legend, meeting the enigmatic collector of the full Allosaurus and Diplodocus fossil skeletons acquired in the famous 2018 auction: Ralph Here is an excerpt of our recent conversation:
The Fossil Collector (TFC): Can you share a bit of background about yourself? Ralph Wunch (RW): I was born in the Philippines but spent much of my childhood in Austria. I am a tech entrepreneur in my day job. I’ve always had a deep love for nature—I enjoy skiing, hiking, and being outdoors. That fascination with the natural world eventually led me to an interest in prehistoric life.
TFC: Of the many hobbies you could pursue, what is it about fossils that keeps you drawn to them? RW: Dinosaurs represent a world that no longer exists, yet we can still connect to it through fossils. It’s mind-blowing to think about the sheer variety of prehistoric species that once roamed the Earth. Movies and books give us a tiny glimpse, but the reality is far more complex and fascinating.
TFC: Do you have a favourite dinosaur? RW: I’m particularly drawn to Spinosaurus. It’s one of the few dinosaurs whose skeletons are still found as bones rather than fully fossilised remains. If you’re lucky, you can even find them in the Moroccan desert, preserved in the sand. Spinosaurus was a hybrid land-and-water predator, unlike anything else.
TFC: Tell us about your collection. What type of fossils do you collect and why? WC: I try to collect a little bit of everything. I’m not just focused on dinosaurs—I also collect old master paintings, classic cars, 18th and 19th-century French furniture, and bronze sculptures. I like the idea of a “cabinet of curiosities,” where different pieces from different eras come together in one space.
(Editor’s note: As you can see in the image below, Ralph was able to fit his 3.8m long Allosaurus and 12m long Diplodocus into his cavernous living room in the Philippines!)
TFC: How is the fossil collecting scene in the Philippines? RW: It’s still emerging. The art and antiques scene here is growing, and fossils are starting to be seen as part of that. But compared to places like Thailand, which has a wealth of dinosaur fossils, the Philippines has a different prehistoric record—mostly ancient mammals like elephants, rhinoceroses, and crocodiles. One of the most famous finds here was Lolong, the world’s largest crocodile in captivity.
TFC: What advice would you give to someone who wants to start fossil collecting? RW: Start with learning, not buying. Read books, visit museums, and understand what you’re looking at. There’s a lot of fake material on the market, so being well-informed is crucial. Also, connect with other collectors—it’s a great way to learn.
TFC: What’s the future of this passion for you? RW: I hope to continue building my collection and, more importantly, sharing it with others. It would be great to create more awareness and appreciation for fossils in the Philippines and beyond. There’s also a growing community of collectors across Southeast Asia—Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia—so maybe we should set up a regional network to bring enthusiasts together!
TFC: What’s the best way to reach you? RW: The best way would be to reach out to me via Linkedin. I would love to welcome your community to the Philippines.
Very grateful to host a gathering at my place this weekend, and to see a good turnout of many old and new friends, including a couple of “OG” Singapore Fossil Collectors from all way when we first started in 2010!
Most of us were bachelors back then, and now we hear little feet pattering around us as many of us have since started families. (A running theme was how the wives and girlfriends ‘tolerate’ our collections, and keeping the fragile specimens safe from curious hands!)
Our wonderful fellowship together evoked feelings of nostalgia and reflection in me. In fifteen quick years, we have hopefully all grown mellower, more passionate, and wiser, and not only in girth! Most certainly our collections have also multiplied, but I hope so has our friendships.
Our of respect for everyone’s privacy, I won’t name names here (you know who you are!), but thought to take the opportunity to convey appreciation to a few extra special inspirations from members of the Singapore Fossil Collectors’ group over the years. Thank you for:
🦖Regularly posting interesting developments in the paleontology field on our FB group 🦖Introducing your friends to the group and bringing them to our gatherings 🦖Thinking of us when you organised dino-themed events 🦖Joining me for several public talks and exhibitions 🦖Writing several kids’ books on dinosaurs 🦖Always being willing to put up fossils for trade or sale 🦖Always being willing to buy something for your stash! 🦖Often mediating fossil debates with deep research of facts 🦖Sparking my interest in historical relics 🦖Introducing me to the world of taxidermy 🦖Re-igniting my interest in minerals and crystals 🦖Re-igniting my joy in pop culture and comics 🦖Hosting us when we go overseas 🦖Visiting us when you pass by SG!
We only thrive because of each other’s diversity! Thank you all for being a part of the community and adding so much joy and fascination to my life. 😍
Set in Stone Gallery has created many incredible exhibitions, with a wide range of iconic, exquisite showpieces. Cliff Hartono has been a driving force behind elevating high-end fossil and natural history collecting in the region. Set in Stone Gallery is opening its 2024 exhibition this weekend and The Fossil Collector spent some time with Cliff to understand his vision.
The Fossil Collector: Millions of visitors marvel at the natural history collections of museums, but a much smaller group actually go out to actually acquire and collect these. How did your journey as a collector start?
Cliff Hartono: When I was five years old, my dad received some fossils as a gift from a business deal. I had already been obsessed with dinosaurs, but being able to physically touch them was an amazing experience at such a young age. That certainly seeded them deeply in my subconscious. My interest was reignited in my mid 20s while working in London. I enjoyed going to the Natural History Museum and felt that the aesthetic nature of fossils was not very appreciated. That was when my own collecting journey began – to find rare and beautiful fossils.
The Fossil Collector: You must have seen a business opportunity in high-end fossil collecting. What gave you confidence that such a market existed, and what was that journey like making a business out of this?
Cliff Hartono: It was a big gamble – as far as I knew, no one else was dealing in higher-end fossils out in Asia. Some would have seen this as an unfavourable market but in my mind it was an opportunity. I quit my job in finance, to the surprise of my family, friends and colleagues. I then spent a year traveling around the world to meet and learn from various fossil hunters, restorers and dealers. I feel blessed to have met a couple of them who invested time to mentor me and show me the ropes.
I pretty much emptied out my bank account to start the business. I acquired pieces that I personally liked and would have been happy to keep for myself – my rationale being that if the business failed, at least I would have an amazing fossil collection. In April of 2013 I launched Set in Stone Gallery’s first exhibition. To my delight (and relief), the collection was well received and I ended up selling most of the specimens.
The Fossil Collector: What are some archetypes of collectors that might acquire a high-end specimen from you? Over the years, what are some trends you have noticed?
Cliff Hartono: My client base has been a mix of entrepreneurs, executives, professionals and with varying backgrounds. I would say one common trait is that they appreciate the aesthetic aspect of the fossil and mineral specimens that we offer. That has always been a big part of what we do – to find beautiful specimens, have them expertly prepared and then to present them in a way that makes the viewer appreciate them as art.
I think their timeless beauty has a wide appeal – one doesn’t need to know much about fossils or crystals to appreciate them visually. Just watch kids at a museum looking wide-mouthed at a dinosaur skeleton. Something primal within us is just drawn to them. I think this is often the starting point for many of my clients.
They then start asking more questions to learn about the origin of these specimens and are often blown away by what they learn. Some appreciate the difficulty of discovering and recovering rare specimens. Others with a keen eye appreciate the fine restoration work done on the fossils. This leads to many of them to collect more as they discover more and more layers to uncover in this engaging hobby.
One of my first clients did not even purchase the specimens for himself – he kindly donated them to a university to be displayed in their geology department. While he himself appreciated the fossils, his purchase was ultimately triggered by his desire to contribute meaningfully to his community.
The Fossil Collector: What goes on behind-the scenes in putting a show together? For example, what are the most challenging or risky aspects of your “value chain”, from sourcing, fossil prep, and logistics, to financing, exhibition planning, and marketing, and how do you overcome any obstacles in such areas?
Cliff Hartono: Frankly speaking everything about it is challenging – this could be an entire article on its own! Sourcing rare specimens takes months or even years – I have to constantly reach out to my network to check in on what they’ve found. Luck plays such a major factor when it comes to what is found in the field and no amount of planning or research can predict that. The best fossil prep guys are also high in demand, so scheduling them to work on one of your fossils requires a few months’ notice.
Logistics are probably the trickiest aspect – delays are common and costs have also risen significantly since the pandemic. You also have to be very careful when packing specimens to prevent damage. I am a firm believer in investing more time and money in packing specimens as well as possible. Even if you are able to insure a specimen, there would be a lot of energy and time spent to send it for further repair and restoration.
I would say it takes a balance of persistence and patience to be in this line of work.
The Fossil Collector: Perhaps we can illustrate this with an example. Can you tell us the story behind what must be the showpiece of your 2024 exhibition, this incredible Triceratops skull?
Cliff Hartono: This specimen was discovered in the Hell Creek Formation layers of Eastern Montana in the United States. I was keen to get this specimen to Singapore, but due to the spike in demand for dinosaur fossils by collectors and museums, it also took some time to schedule the preparation and restoration of this specimen at the prep lab. Work began last year and was completed in May. It is 62% original by bone volume from a single specimen and the restoration work performed is superb and museum quality. It is a spectacular specimen – the photos just do not do it justice. I hope your readers find the time to come by and check it out!
Cliff Hartono with his prehistoric friends (Center, in blue jacket)
The Fossil Collector: What might you advise a budding collector considering a high-end piece as an investment?
Cliff Hartono: I think being curious and doing research is good place to start. Meeting other collectors to learn and share knowledge is a return in itself – a source of enjoyment along this journey.
In terms of pricing for rarer specimens, it can be helpful to look at auction realisations. In some cases, it can still be difficult to get an exact estimation of value as even specimens of the same species can vary in terms of size, condition and restoration quality. Still, these auction results ultimately provide us with ballpark figures to start with.
In recent years, fossils, especially dinosaur specimens, have appreciated significantly in value – one only needs to look at the auctions that broke previous records for Stan, the T.Rex specimen that auctioned for US$31.7mn in 2020, and Apex, the Stegosaurus specimen that auctioned for US$44.6mn last month.
From my perspective, quality specimens at the very least retain their value in their long run. There is so much capital that goes into the finding, collecting and restoration of fossils. Then throw in the rarity factor – these specimens occur randomly in nature and are each one of a kind – they can’t be made in a factory overnight. Many are irreplaceable – how can you put a price tag on that?
However, to me, the greatest return in collecting comes from the personal enjoyment of owning such wonders that are frozen in time. It certainly gives one perspective while looking at something that has been around for millions of years.
Thank you so much Cliff. We wish you all the very best for the Gallery, and look forward to seeing you at the show this weekend!
We were delighted to be invited to Ai Tong School to deliver talks on fossils, and set up six exhibits on campus with dozens of authentic fossils for students to study close up.
Our traveling museum organised the exhibit along six themes for learners to explore, including (i) Fossils and Geology; (ii) Early Life; (iii) Adaptations; (iv) Reptiles; (v) Dinosaurs; and (vi) Ancient Mammals.
It was truly rewarding for us to witness the excitement and enthusiasm of the many classes of students, and a special highlight for us was taking on their many questions. We spotted a particular young lady sketching the fossils in her notebook, and when we asked her about it she told us that she was drawing it for her friend who loves dinosaurs but couldn’t be here today. So sweet!
Our dear host, Teacher Limin, discusses her feelings about the day, “Your sharing of your prized fossil collection piqued our students’ curiosity in paleontology during our Discovery Play school event. Your sharing presented an excellent opportunity for our students to learn about the ancient animals. On behalf of the school, thank you once again for your support in making learning memorable at Ai Tong School!”
We really appreciate the parent volunteers who helped us out, and special thanks to the school for having us!
We had an amazing time admiring Andy’s always-growing, impressive collection, rekindling old friendships and making new ones. Thanks for having us Andy, and congrats on your beautiful new home!
It’s been quite a while since we were able to gather, and I look the opportunity of a fellow collector who was visiting Singapore and wanted to view my collection to also do a last-minute shout out to our community. We chatted late into the night and I believe all of us missed each other’s fellowship greatly. Thanks for coming folks!
It is such a lovely gift to end the year, when Singapore Fossil Collectors is featured in the prestigious Tatler magazine. This is a fascinating exposé into the mysterious and enigmatic world of high-end fossil collecting. The full article is available here. Thank you Tatler Hong Kong for the shout-out, and here’s to a much better year ahead everyone. Happy new year!
As a special bonus, Mothership even produced a cute video featuring three founding members of Singapore Fossil Collectors and our geeky collections. Enjoy!
Mothership just published this great article covering the work that The Fossil Collector does to bring paleontology and a love for natural history to schools. You guys have truly mastered the art of storytelling, capturing the nuts and bolts of the hobby in such a fun way, while inspiring others to get started. Since the article came out, we’ve received many new members to our Facebook group Singapore Fossil Collectors, as well as a few queries from institutions that have reached out to invite us to deliver our presentations to their members! The breadth of your readership is really something too. Thank you so much!!!
This global Covid-19 pandemic has frozen all year-end travel plans, and event organisers have pull out all stops to entertain Singaporeans. For some reason, dinosaurs have featured heavily such as with the new Changi Jurassic Mile and the year-end decorations at Changi Airport Terminal 3. Another interesting pop-up restaurant from Nov 6, 2020 to Jan 3, 2021 has been at ION Orchard. We visited it and were delighted to see the same Jurassic World movie display raptor, together with a decent mechandising (toys) shelves. The food was priced reasonably and tasted ok, with cute names such as Fossil Excavation Cake, Jurassic World Burger, and Volcano Curry. Catch the great views with the kids during the school holidays!
The Fossil Collector 