A 12,000-year-old fossilized walrus penis measuring 4 1/2 feet in length was the most talked-about item at a Beverly Hills, Calif., auction.

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The walrus penis, thought to be the largest specimen on record, was purchased by oddity-museum chain Ripley's for $8,000 at I.M. Chait auction house, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

"I was prepared to spend at least twice, probably three times that amount," said Edward Meyer, vice president of exhibits and archives for Ripley's Believe It or Not!

"This one is considerably bigger than anything we've seen before. When it comes to fossils, size matters," Meyer said.

He said the purchase will now be taken to an Orlando, Fla., warehouse for a detailed examination before it goes on display at one of the company's 30 museums.

"We're very pleased that it's going to Ripley's so that the public can have an opportunity to see it," auctioneer Josh Chait said. "There's a limited clientele for a piece like that. Not everyone's going to want to put it on their mantel."