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Green River Fish question


fossilguy312

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Hello all,

 

I have been long searching for an exceptionally high/museum quality aspiration example from Green River. I recently have found myself with the opportunity to acquire this specimen. I've been told that there is a small amount of restoration on the tail of the Priscacara but I don't know exactly how much/what it entails yet. I'd ideally prefer a specimen with 0% restoration but I don't know how realistic that is. For scale, the diplo is 18" long, I'm told. It's obviously pretty cool that this is a Priscacara aspiration as my understanding is that this is pretty uncommon.

 

I'd be very curious to hear your feedback on this piece in general, your thoughts on the restoration, and to hear your suggestions on whether or not this is the "right" piece to add to my collection (last part is a personal decision, I know...). I don't mind waiting to find the perfect piece... but I also don't know how realistic it is to find one much better as this one seems pretty nice to my eye. I wish the tail were poking out a bit farther but hey I guess I give the diplo credit for getting it that far down before expiring... :DOH:

 

Really appreciate your thoughts.

 

aspiration1.jpg

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I am seeing about half the tail painted. 

 

aspiration2.thumb.jpg.899b6ca29b5661614503b56b14b24f1b.jpg

 

 

As to whether it is the right one for you,  that is your decision. 

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    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

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14 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

I am seeing about half the tail painted. 

 

aspiration2.thumb.jpg.899b6ca29b5661614503b56b14b24f1b.jpg

 

 

As to whether it is the right one for you,  that is your decision. 

 

That's very helpful, Tim. Thank you. With your red circle it's very easy to tell the difference. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me. I'll keep giving it some thought but I'm starting to think that it might be better to wait for one that is more complete. As always, I really appreciate the learnings that are shared on this forum. It really helps people like me learn.

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38 minutes ago, fossilguy312 said:

 

That's very helpful, Tim. Thank you. With your red circle it's very easy to tell the difference. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me. I'll keep giving it some thought but I'm starting to think that it might be better to wait for one that is more complete. As always, I really appreciate the learnings that are shared on this forum. It really helps people like me learn.

Glad to help. :) 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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I also see some paint added to the belly of the Diplo, the restoration isn't extensive, so it is up to you, a Diplo aspiration is highly desirable and so it would make sense to restore it to make it look perfect. The majority of the restoration is by the anal fin. 

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"Life is too complex for me to wrap my mind around, that's why I have fossils and not pets!":tff:

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2 hours ago, Mioplosus_Lover24 said:

I also see some paint added to the belly of the Diplo, the restoration isn't extensive, so it is up to you, a Diplo aspiration is highly desirable and so it would make sense to restore it to make it look perfect. The majority of the restoration is by the anal fin. 

 

Thanks so much for pointing this out, @Mioplosus_Lover24.  I see the paint on the tail that Tim pointed out very easily, but I'm having a harder time detecting the paint on the belly that you've mentioned. Would you be able to describe exactly what I'm looking for a little bit more? I'd love to learn how to see this paint myself as right now I'm having trouble picking it out.

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17 hours ago, fossilguy312 said:

Hello all,

 

I have been long searching for an exceptionally high/museum quality aspiration example from Green River. I recently have found myself with the opportunity to acquire this specimen. I've been told that there is a small amount of restoration on the tail of the Priscacara but I don't know exactly how much/what it entails yet. I'd ideally prefer a specimen with 0% restoration but I don't know how realistic that is. For scale, the diplo is 18" long, I'm told. It's obviously pretty cool that this is a Priscacara aspiration as my understanding is that this is pretty uncommon.

 

I'd be very curious to hear your feedback on this piece in general, your thoughts on the restoration, and to hear your suggestions on whether or not this is the "right" piece to add to my collection (last part is a personal decision, I know...). I don't mind waiting to find the perfect piece... but I also don't know how realistic it is to find one much better as this one seems pretty nice to my eye. I wish the tail were poking out a bit farther but hey I guess I give the diplo credit for getting it that far down before expiring... :DOH:

 

Really appreciate your thoughts.

 

aspiration1.jpg

This is a very well done restoration and prep of what was a really nice specimen to begin with. In addition to the areas already pointed out , I see a few more, but they are well done and the fact the seller is open about it being restored is a good sign. as a display piece, I'd hang it in my labs.

 

As others have said, it is ultimately up to you particularly when a restoprep of this quality cannot be cheap!

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17 minutes ago, Mioplosus_Lover24 said:

20201008_122215.jpg

I'm not convinced there is restoration in the area highlighted.  :headscratch:

 

Colors reversed. 

 

aspiration1.jpg.8081ef8b2856659773cbf10ef83cf98a.jpg

 

Close up of area:

 

aspiration2221.jpg

 

I see some verts missing, but no obvious restoration. Lots of scales showing in that area, though.  :unsure: 

 

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    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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I suspect a slight tint may have been used in the fixative. Sure, the dark black/gray fish are pretty common in the 18 inch layer, but I honestly cannot say I have ever seen one this uniform before. I also suspect the HDR is cranked way up on the original, as the Kemmerer lags has a pretty definitive yellow tint to it.

 

Here is my thinking:

diplo1.PNG.6353016987de3e2fa147d525634963f3.PNG

 

On the dorsal side the interstitial areas are uniform ocher with all preserved stuff being uniform black. Note the ocher extends to the entire prepared area, as in it was wet brushed/poured in and allowed to settle set in before the excess was blotted away.

 

Next:

5f7f48ae13af0_diplo2.PNG.310c30822ab87050c78370fb4935eaeb.PNG

 

Here on the dorsal fin there is quite a bit of that ochre uniformity. Hard to tell from th OP resolution, but again to my eyes this looks like the flood and blot method with an enhancement tint.

 

Last but not least, the coffin nails, such as they are:

5f7f4aa44db19_diplo3.PNG.02c9f02ae056bf232a7477ce7d29bbe1.PNG

These look like areas of bleed over from the tinted fixative which are that same "too good to be natural" uniform ochre color.

 

 

I suspect the HDR was cranked up quite a bit to show the exquisite detail of the specimen which is why the substrate is so light gray, rather than the creamy, iron oxide yellow the stone actually is.

 

Still, as a display piece, I'd hang it in my labs.

 

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I agree, that this is likely tinted uniformly. 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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@Fossildude19 and @LabRatKing - your back and forth dialogue has been incredibly informative to me. I really appreciate it. I had been wondering about a uniform color tint but wasn't sure... your analysis is very clear and will help me a lot on this specimen and on future ones. There's so much to learn...     I think I'll pass on this one and keep an eye out for the one that is right for me.  

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We have a bunch of green river junkies around here, so there are lots and lots of specimens to look at in the gallery. One suggestion I make to you is since you are in the market, why not contact one of the quarries in Kemmerer direct? Then you can pick your specimen and decide exactly how you would like it prepped. I know at least one of the private quarries specializes in custom orders for what I suspect you are after!

 

Truthfully, I really like the one pictured. Might be worth asking the seller for additional photos before you write it off completely.

 

For my personal collection I prefer to dig and prep them myself, but I have purchased a number of really amazing museum grade specimens over the last few years for my employer. In my experience an honest seller has no issue sending additional photos or even short videos so you can get a real feel for it.

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