John Lanzendorf, a hairstylist and avid collector of dinosaur art and sculpture, stands next to a bronze model of a Lambeosaurus being attacked by two Dromaeosaurs at his Gold Coast condo in 2000. The bronze was sculpted by artist Mike Trcic, who worked on the T. rex in “Jurassic Park.” That year, some pieces of Mr. Lanzendorf’s Tyrannosaurus art were lent to the Field Museum for display during the debut of Sue the T. rex. (Richard A. Chapman / Sun-Times)
John Lanzendorf knew about beauty and also the beasts.
A Chicago hairdresser to society women and movie stars, he amassed one of the world’s finest private collections of dinosaur art, with pieces so scientifically accurate they were displayed in museums. He forged friendships with paleontologists, visited their digs and once said he could name 700 dinosaurs.
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