mikeymig Posted December 11, 2020 Share Posted December 11, 2020 Fossil shells from Florida loaded (natural) with more fossil shells. Many collectors like to clean out the fossil shells they find so they look like a shell found on the beach (recent). I like to keep them as natural as possible and preserve their history. Some of these fossil shells have other smaller shells that are cemented inside and would harm the shell if removed. Hours of careful cleaning is the only way to preserve and expose what's inside. I love them! The largest shell was entered in fossil of the month for Novembers and was a thread named My Fossil Cornucopia http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/110984-my-fossil-cornucopia/ Due to the size of my images, I will have to make several comments. Enjoy and Happy Collecting. 20 1 Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted December 11, 2020 Author Share Posted December 11, 2020 Mercenaria campechiensis (Southern Quahog) full of Chione erosa (Cross Barred Venus), Crucibulum multilineatum (Cup and Saucer shell), and Calyptraea centralis (Chinese hat snail). Americoliva roseae (Olive shell) with Phrontis vibex (Bruised Nassa). Anadara lienosa (Many-Ribbed Ark) full of bits of other bivalves like Chione erosa (Cross Barred Venus), smaller Ark shells, and Crepidula aculeata (Spiny Slippersnail). 11 Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted December 11, 2020 Author Share Posted December 11, 2020 Arcoptera wagneriana (Turkey Wing) with Plicatula marginata (Kittens Paw), Chione erosa (Cross Barred Venus), and other univalve/bivalve pieces. Fulguropsis spirata (Pear Whelk) full of Chione erosa (Cross Barred Venus). Sinistrofulgur roseae (Lightning Whelk) full of Chione erosa (Cross Barred Venus). 12 Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neanderthal Shaman Posted December 11, 2020 Share Posted December 11, 2020 Those are gorgeous, great finds! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruger9a Posted December 11, 2020 Share Posted December 11, 2020 WOW!!!!! I like them.................... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historianmichael Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 These are really nice. Amazing finds! 1 Follow me on Instagram (@fossil_mike) to check out my personal collection of fossils collected and acquired over more than 15 years of fossil hunting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjfriend Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 That is a nice display! Like that you left the extras inside 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranzBernhard Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 !! Thanks for sharing! I have very, very few of this kind found myself - much smaller, less much appealing! I really like them! Franz Bernhard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 When I collect fossil shells from Florida I always love the ones that are impacted with other shells. Once I get home, I soak them in water to loosen up the matrix and then I removed all of the excess. I then use a sieve and rinse out the residue and collect all of the remaining shells, that is where you can find some of the most beautiful, intact fossils, since they have been protected all of that time by the larger shell. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankh8147 Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 These are absolutely fantastic!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey P Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 Impressive display specimens Mike!!!! When some complain that all of the best fossils have already been collected, you consistently prove them wrong. By the way, this would make a good member collections topic- Fossils in Fossils. I and others I'm sure have interesting fossils within fossils to display. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranzBernhard Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 55 minutes ago, Jeffrey P said: By the way, this would make a good member collections topic- Fossils in Fossils. Good idea! There seem to be no particular topic about this subject. But I can be mistaken. Maybe there is such a topic somewhere, someone knows that and we can revive it? Thanks! Franz Bernhard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 Here are examples of what I find sealed away in the larger shells. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimitris Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 23 hours ago, mikeymig said: My Fossil Cornucopia http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/110984-my-fossil-cornucopia/ This one is lovely. Great for display somewhere in a living room! Would look even better next to a huge Gigantopecten latissima. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilNerd Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 Lovely! Like @Jeffrey P I too enjoy fossils within fossils. The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. -Neil deGrasse Tyson Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagurus Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 Each one is a collection unto itself. I'll bet some are even fossil shells full of fossil shells full of fossil shells. 3 Start the day with a smile and get it over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplomado Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 On 12/12/2020 at 11:50 AM, Nimravis said: Here are examples of what I find sealed away in the larger shells. We did the same with the sediment at the bottom of our cleaning bucket. I did clean out a bunch of conchs, moonsnails, and other univalves of their ancient contents. Some shells were just too neat to clean in my opinion. A lot of the shells in this pic were found in that cleaning bucket after it was washed and strained. Some are rare Happy Collecting. 3 Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 I just finished cleaning this awesome fossil shell full of fossil shells Friday 12/11/2020. Anadara lienosa (Many-Ribbed Ark) full of Chione erosa (Cross Barred Venus), Brachidontes exustus (Scorched Mussel),Barbatia taeniata (Ark), Anodonta alba (Buttercup Lucine), Anadara impropera (Ark), and Balanus sp. (Barnacle). I found a small (2mm) complete shell inside the sand matrix that was removed from around the other shells inside this fossil Ark. Its next to a grain of rice for size comparison. The quality of my video enlarger is so so but you get the idea. Happy Collecting. 3 Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifbrindacier Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 On 12/11/2020 at 12:53 PM, mikeymig said: Arcoptera wagneriana (Turkey Wing) with Plicatula marginata (Kittens Paw), Chione erosa (Cross Barred Venus), and other univalve/bivalve pieces. Fulguropsis spirata (Pear Whelk) full of Chione erosa (Cross Barred Venus). Sinistrofulgur roseae (Lightning Whelk) full of Chione erosa (Cross Barred Venus). I particularly love that gorgeous one. 1 "On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) "We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes." In memory of Doren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plax Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 Have to say that I haven't seen shell fossils presented like this and I like it very much! Says so much more than just a cleaned shell. Nothing wrong with those of course. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantguy Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Very nice specimens! I also enjoy the bucket load of shells and seeing some of their matrix...but I get terribly tempted to empty them out to see if there are any hidden gems and I hate it when its just the usual stuff we find around here!!...but the curiosity is there everytime! Continued hunting and prepping success! Regards, Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted December 19, 2020 Share Posted December 19, 2020 Love those shells! I may have missed it but how do you keep them together? Do you use a glue or consolidant? The ones I collected many years ago seemed to just separate. I guess mine were from near Miami so different sites probably have differing amounts of mineral cementation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 I LOVE the look of these shells-within-a-shell specimens!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted December 21, 2020 Author Share Posted December 21, 2020 On 12/19/2020 at 8:03 AM, Scylla said: Love those shells! I may have missed it but how do you keep them together? Do you use a glue or consolidant? The ones I collected many years ago seemed to just separate. I guess mine were from near Miami so different sites probably have differing amounts of mineral cementation. Careful removal of the packed sand/shelly matrix was done with toothpicks for the most part. It took hours for the big whelk and lucky for me, the shells were tightly packed in there. A little glue at a few places that I felt was key on keeping the whole piece together was all that was needed. I did not want to detract from the overall aesthetics of the piece. Its not a terribly rare or $$ fossil and most wouldn't waste the time on it as I did. But I dont live in Florida so the fossil is an exotic for me and I prepped most of the shell beside a pool/spa. Happy Collecting Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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