Fake trilobite?

[Re-Elu]

Hi all,

 

My sister recently purchased three trilobite fossils for next to nothing (at a thrift store), and I'm suspecting this one is fake or at least a composite. Don't see any preparation marks, and it smells like cement. Looks like it was cemented onto the grey rock. What do you guys think?

[DarasFossils]

Do you know species or location because that might help some others.

 

While I am no expert, the eyes look to me to be real because of the bumpy lenses which are rarely faked well if at all. The 'cemented parts' are likely just bad prep and these fellas might have been a lot nicer if someone skilled got their hands on it first. If it was just a cheap purchase, nothing to worry about as even a replica would be worth what people usually charge for the common fakes anyway. But I am curious to hear others' opinions. 

The look of them kind of reminds me of these real, but common and rarely well preserved trilobites called Flexicalymene. It is certainly not the same species, but just know others that are real can have that cracked and cemented look. 

[aeon.rocks]

It's a real trilobite from Devonian of Germany, my guess for location is maybe around Heckelmann Mühle in Germany.

[Top Trilo]

Also, it's not a Calymenid, but some type of Phacopid, not sure what species though.

[A.C.]

Looks like it may have been reattatched to the matrix and or parts of it glued back onto itself in areas. Overall though I would feel comfortable calling this a real specimen. You would be surprised at how common some trilobites are - don't let the low price be an indication that this is fake.

 

 

Crack on the cephalon looks like it may have been glued together.

 

Edited March 1, 2023 by A.C.

[Re-Elu]

On 3/1/2023 at 7:17 AM, DarasFossils said:

Do you know species or location because that might help some others.

 

While I am no expert, the eyes look to me to be real because of the bumpy lenses which are rarely faked well if at all. The 'cemented parts' are likely just bad prep and these fellas might have been a lot nicer if someone skilled got their hands on it first. If it was just a cheap purchase, nothing to worry about as even a replica would be worth what people usually charge for the common fakes anyway. But I am curious to hear others' opinions. 

The look of them kind of reminds me of these real, but common and rarely well preserved trilobites called Flexicalymene. It is certainly not the same species, but just know others that are real can have that cracked and cemented look. 

Thanks! 

I don't know anything about the species or location, my sister bought it at a thrift store together with 2 more trilobites, no info whatsoever.

I have one of those Flexicalymene fossils as well: bought one in Morocco as a kid, and I remember also thinking it was a fake after reading somewhere that there are a lot of fakes coming from Morocco as well (I then learned that these were just naturally bad preserved and very common).

 

[Re-Elu]

Thanks for also the information everyone!

[rocket]

On 3/1/2023 at 9:37 AM, aeon.rocks said:

It's a real trilobite from Devonian of Germany, my guess for location is maybe around Heckelmann Mühle in Germany.

 

I do not think it is Heckelmanns Mühle, no Trilos from there are preserved with shale. This one has a little bit at the midde, looks like that originally there was more or a full "shale". But, I do not have an idea where it comes from, might be an eroded moroccean one