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Showing results for tags 'sclerocephalus'.
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Hello, now that I have time, I decided to create a small guide on how to recognize fake, painted and carved amphibians from the permian of europe. In this guide, you'll find examples of fake or heavily restored, or painted amphibians compared to real ones, and you will also learn some of the most common red flags on them. I hope you like it and that it will help many people not falling into amphibian traps ! Enjoy ! 1.0 Apateon pedestris (Credits: online auction site) This was done in the same way as your toddlers' paintings on the fridge (if you have a fridge or a toddler). The "bones" are probably drawn with a pencil and the preservation of the skin shadows is nothing more than some clear paint. If you look closely, no bones are evident. Here are some good examples, the first being from my collection. Now compare this to the previous one. Horrible! 1.1 1.2 Example of a perfect skull. See the difference? (Credits: Thomas Billert, Steinkern.de) Heres an example of a sideway skin shadow. Skin shadows should always follow the bones whith a bit of distance, and should feel stony and look not like clear paint. 1.3 (Credit: online auction site) 1.4 Perfect skin shadow, sligthly preserved (Credit: online auction site) 1.5 How a skeleton of Apateon should look like (Credit: Jürgen A. Boy) 2.0 Sclerocephalus haeuseri (Credits: @Amontano) That's partially real, but not, not, not much of it. The paper shale it was found in is not known for creating great skin shadows and preserving bones and limbs. That's why many amphibian fossils found in it look the same. To make it look like if they still have all their skin, bones and limbs, in most cases they are painted or, for 3D preservation, reconstructed with modeling clay and then painted to match the overall look. 2.1 Here is an example of a completely real and well prepared example. Compare this with the other one. Big difference, isn't it? (Credits: @Vertebrate) 2.2 How a skeleton of Sclerocephalus haeuseri should look like (Credit: Alamy.com) 3.0 Branchiosaurus petrolei (Credits: online auction site) These ones from france are mostly real, but youve probably guessed it: fake limbs and skin shadows ! They look like stick figures ! These were also painted whith clear paint, and sadly, they cover most of the remaining bone structure. Heres an example of another painted one, which i thougth looked to funny to omit. Three back legs ! Two real and great preserved, one fake painted stick. The head on this was also heavily painted and is non definable. 3.1 (Credits:online auction site) And here is an example of a 100% real one from my collection. You can see the completly different head shape, the toe bones on this are not preserved, but i think, you can spot the difference. This above could also be called "how to ruin a great fossil whith paint". 3.2 Example of a real one from my collection. 4.0 Discosauriscus pulcherrimus (Credits: @RobFallen) Well, this migth be a complete drawing on rock. If you look closely, you can see that the bone bend whith the rock, and its also very suspicious that the left foot is bend in, and not broken off. You can quoestion yourself, what was first: the rock, or the amphibian ? But this is a tricky and relativly good fake, many ones out there. 4.1 (Credits: online auction site) This is an example of a 100% real and 3d preserved one, really expensive. So you can compare them again, and you'll notice a difference again, mostly in the skulls. 5.0 All points and red flags together for all amphibians, also that were not featured in this guide 5.1 Skin shadows, if they dont match the overall look, shape or look painted, theyre in most cases really just painted whith some clear paint. 5.2 Bones, if most of them in one specimen dont match the shape they should be, or are dark and bend whith the rock, or not 3d, theyre mostly pencil drawings. 5.3 Skulls, if they look suspicious, google the species you're looking for and compare the results to the skull. If they look completly different and the one you think looks suspicious lacks in detail like jaw, teeth, or many bones are wrong, better run ! 5.3 Vertebras, in some specimen, the vertebrates are carved or reconstructed whith modelling clay. Carved ones are mostly circular or a square, and lack in structure and connection to the other ones. There are big, unnatural gaps in between them. The reconstructed ones are more tricky, but rarer to find. To recognize them, you should check the connection to the stone, or the other vertebras. Something looks wrong, better stay away ! 5.4 Toes, if they're missing, they're mostly just painted. You can recognize them by a different color, shine, the toe bones missing, and also that they're bending whith the rock. 5.5 Ribs, if they're straigth and not bend, thats mostly a red flag. Or if theyre bending whith the rock, better be carefull. 5.6, no red flag, but if you think theres something wrong about the specimen you want to buy, just wait, use that guide, or do the research yourself. Many fake amphibians are easy to recognize, even if you're not that experienced, and if you're unsure, just post it in the Forum, we have so many very experienced members here, they'll help further ! Have i something missed that i should mention or have you extra wishes ? Could ive done something better or should correct something ? Let me know !
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Any tips on purchasing a Sclerocephalus or a Messel bat?
Vertebrate posted a topic in Questions & Answers
Hello Fossil Forum, I've been interested in bat fossils from the Messel pit as well as one of the bigger Amphibians from the Permian since quite a while. As both are expensive items I don't want to make a mistake. I've found very little information about these fossils, especially for collectors, on the web. Interesting and useful information I found from @oilshale, like the one that Messel bats tend to show either good bone OR skin preservation. What should a good specimen feature and what should be avoided? Especially since both kind of fossils require special preparation techniques. As for Sclerocephalus, the following one is on display since many months, so I assume it's relatively expensive. It looks very good to me but what do the experts think about it? In every case I'm curious for the Munich Show next weekend as there have been examples of both fossils in the past. Thanks!- 11 replies
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From the album: Sclerocephalus
juvenil Sclerocephalus from the top of Odernheim - Formation called `Papierschiefer´ ( paper-layers) nearby a perfect fossil ( fossil 20 cm) adult specimen - reproduction from the original and coloured myself - impressiv fossil from the Jeckenbach- Formation( fossil 100 cm)-
- amphib
- jeckenbach rotliegendes
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(and 4 more)
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From the album: Sclerocephalus
juvenil Sclerocephalus from the top of Odernheim - Formation called `Papierschiefer´ ( paper-layers) nearby a perfect fossil ( fossil 20 cm) adult specimen - reproduction from the original and coloured myself - impressiv fossil from the Jeckenbach- Formation( fossil 100 cm)-
- amphib
- jeckenbach rotliegendes
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(and 4 more)
Tagged with:
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From the album: Sclerocephalus
juvenil Sclerocephalus from the top of Odernheim - Formation called `Papierschiefer´ ( paper-layers) nearby a perfect fossil ( fossil 20 cm) adult specimen - reproduction from the original and coloured myself - impressiv fossil from the Jeckenbach- Formation( fossil 100 cm)-
- amphib
- jeckenbach rotliegendes
-
(and 4 more)
Tagged with:
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Some impressions from my private collection of permian fossils, some of them I digged myself, some I changed with other collectors, most of them I prepared myself the permian fossils had been found in Germany, Rhineland - Pallatinate niederkirchen , pdernheim and other locations
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- apateon
- branchiosaurier
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(and 6 more)
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