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Have wanted to post this for a long time


Malcolmt

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Finally I can share an incredible piece with you all!!!!!!!!

 

I have been very fortunate to be able to do invertebrate fossil preparation for The Royal Ontario Museum (The ROM). I have recently been given permission to share pictures of some of the work that I have done for them. Thank you Dr. J.B. Caron. In the coming weeks I will share some pictures of other pieces I did for them. In total I prepared about 12 pieces for them out of their collection and I donated 7 pieces for the new gallery.

 

In case you are not already aware they will be opening a major new fossil gallery "The Dawn of Life" later this year. Here is a major piece that I did for them last year. The piece is quite stunning in person , my photography does it no justice. You will be able to see it in person in the new gallery.

 

There are over 60 Leviceraurus mammilloides on the plate. As well as a few other species of crinoid and trilobite. To spare you all the waiting here is the finished piece

 

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The piece was prepared over a 12 month period and required around 200 hours to prepare. It was prepared under a Olympus zoom microscope using the following air scribes (CP9361, ARO, Pferd MST-31, Paleotools Microjac 2) The air abrasion was performed with a Comco MB1000 using baking soda and dolomite in the 40 micron range and mostly 20 to 30 PSI. 

 

Since this was a piece of scientific importance (there may be a new species on here and it potentially shows some sexual dimorphism ) all associations were left on the plate. If a brachiopod was covering a trilobite it was not removed. Partial trilos were not removed to exposed complete ones below it. Dr. Caron was quite specific in what he wanted in the way the specimen was prepared. There are probably more trilos that have not been exposed and these may be discovered in the future by Xray. At 200 hours I quit searching for more as the plate had nice aesthetics and the museum needed it to do professional photography and measuring for the display.

 

This picture is as it was found in the field back in 2019 by David A. who is a member here on the fossil forum. The fossil was found in an Ordovician quarry (St. Mary's Cement) that allows a very limited number of qualified collectors in a few times per year. The slab as found required 4 people to bring it down the side of a very large blast pile using a blanket. It was estimated that the slab weighed about 300 pounds.

 

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Here I am u

 

The 2nd and 3rd pictures are me cutting and thinning the slab using a checkerboard technique done with a diamond rock saw. This got the piece to a transport weight of about 60 pounds.

 

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The rest of the pictures are a sequence leading up to the finished piece which weighs about 50 pounds and was the first picture shown in this post. If you have any questions please feel free to ask or send me a private message if you prefer.

 

The piece in my basement before any preparation. Not so pretty at this point in its life....

 

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The piece at 1 hour

 

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The final shot here was with about 20 hours to go

 

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Amazing fossil, amazing prep!!  You really brought that one to life.  :default_faint::default_faint: :default_faint:

 

Don

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Thanks for all you do....

PlateCanada.JPG.197291d55bb46e951b5edcfa8ec4323a.JPG

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The White Queen  ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast"

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Incredible specimen which had the good fortune to find its way to your capable hands. We enjoyed our (slightly rushed) visit to the ROM a few years back. Looking forward to a return visit sometime in the not too too distant future. Will enjoy seeing this one up close and personal.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

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Wow and wow! Incredible specimen, magnificent preparation. Congratulations. Hopefully, someday I will get to see it on display at the ROM. Awesome!!!

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giphy.gif

 

Woah, that is some serious time and effort, and it paid off in spectacular fashion. 

 

Cheers,

Brett

Edited by Brett Breakin' Rocks
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Great stuff! I'm glad you were allowed to show it as I may never make it to the ROM to see it in person.

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Stunning piece.

Thank you so much for sharing. 

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Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

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I remember the day that was found. :) I have some additional original field find photos I could post here if you like, @Malcolmt, just to show how far you took this piece. :b_wdremel:

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...How to Philosophize with a Hammer

 

 

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Wow! Amazing preparation! Congratulations on a job well done. 

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The more I learn, the more I find that I know nothing. 

 

Regards, 

Asher 

 

 

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Outstanding find and QUALITY prep!!!!!! Did you sign that piece of art?? The Royal Ontario Museum is under 2 hours from Buffalo. I will put it on my bucket list for the next time I am in Buffalo.  

 

 Mike

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Crab-in-Pot-Well-Done.gif.51c137730a829917031aef88e39bc4ad.gif

 

A masterpiece! The ROM is fortunate to have found you.

Start the day with a smile and get it over with.

 

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3 hours ago, Kane said:

I remember the day that was found. :) I have some additional original field find photos I could post here if you like, @Malcolmt, just to show how far you took this piece. :b_wdremel:

We have the permission of The ROM to post pics and I am sure that Dave A. would not object.

 

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Spectacular job, Malcolm! 

Thanks for posting this. :)   :tiphat:

    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  

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1 hour ago, minnbuckeye said:

Outstanding find and QUALITY prep!!!!!! Did you sign that piece of art?? The Royal Ontario Museum is under 2 hours from Buffalo. I will put it on my bucket list for the next time I am in Buffalo.  

 

 Mike

I wrote on the back of the piece in very neat super fine sharpie all the details of where and when it was found , who found it and who prepped it.

 

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Wow! That is incredible find and an amazing prep. The ROM is incredibly lucky to have it in its collection. I will have to put the ROM on my list of places to visit soon.

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!

 

 

 

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36 minutes ago, Malcolmt said:

We have the permission of The ROM to post pics and I am sure that Dave A. would not object.

 

I’ll do one better and provide closeup details of your fine work. :)

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...How to Philosophize with a Hammer

 

 

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16 minutes ago, Kane said:

I’ll do one better and provide closeup details of your fine work. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Id still like to see some more field pics I really only have the few I included in the post.

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11 minutes ago, Malcolmt said:

 

Id still like to see some more field pics I really only have the few I included in the post.

Coming right up…

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...How to Philosophize with a Hammer

 

 

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  Im not a trilobite guy but if I was, this is the piece I would start off with!  Some dang nice work Malcolmt.  and I also looking forward to seeing more of your prep work.

 

RB

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I am a trilobite guy and that is spectacular. Amazing preparation I can just imagine what it looks like in person. The ROM is almost a 24 hour drive from here so probably won't make it out there soon but I will eventually. This makes me anxious to see the other preps you did for them. Your prep is so good it looks like they are all walking over each other and you just took a picture of the commotion, like you lifted up a rock and they all scattered in different directions. Can't say it in words, its wonderful.

“If fossils are not "boggling" your mind then you are simply not doing it right” -Ken (digit)

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