stjbrown Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 This fossil was given to me, but I know it came from an auction box lot in PA. I have no idea anything more about it, but any help identifying it would be awesome. It measures about 5 inches long. The two peices fit together to for a 'rock' that hides the portion in the picture. if you turn the bottom peice over you can see part of the top sticking out showing it to be very much 3 dimensional Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Nice fossil! It's a fish....I think from the Santana Formation of Brazil. The concretion looks a little different from the Brazilian fish I've seen before....maybe someone else knows better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatorman Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Very nice fossil! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stjbrown Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 Thanks it looked like some sort of fish to me too, but really wasn't sure. I really quite like it, but would be interested to find out more about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cris Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Thanks it looked like some sort of fish to me too, but really wasn't sure. I really quite like it, but would be interested to find out more about it. Yeah, there's no doubt about it being fish... I'm sure someone can give you some more information on it, later.. Just have to wait and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N.AL.hunter Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Stjbrown, I agree that it is most likely from Brazil. I cannot ID it for you, but I do have two things: 1. Do NOT put the two pieces back together as this can cause rubbing and damage. I know it most likely fits together like a glove, but after separation, the fossil will expand some and the perfect fit might not be there. It is best to either keep apart or separate with some protective layer of cushioning material and 2. These fossils can cost a lot, and your's looks real nice, so someone gave you a real nice gift (most likely well over $500 US, and perhaps over $1000). Keep it protected and safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stjbrown Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 Thanks for the heads up on how to store it and the possible value. My parents collect antiques and got this in a box lot at an aution some years ago. I ended up with it because I thought it was pretty neat. I will def store them sepperate from now on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Stjbrown,I agree that it is most likely from Brazil. I cannot ID it for you, but I do have two things: 1. Do NOT put the two pieces back together as this can cause rubbing and damage. I know it most likely fits together like a glove, but after separation, the fossil will expand some and the perfect fit might not be there. It is best to either keep apart or separate with some protective layer of cushioning material and 2. These fossils can cost a lot, and your's looks real nice, so someone gave you a real nice gift (most likely well over $500 US, and perhaps over $1000). Keep it protected and safe. I can't see enough details to guess at the value. Surely, it's worth taking care of it. Here a little fish from my shelf that I was able to identify using a 1985 paper (in German). Here are the details of that paper: Documenta Naturae Nummer 26 ISSN 0723-8428 Kreide-Fische Brasiliens (no author cited) ---------Harry Pristis http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worthy 55 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Thats a cool fossil!!!! :Thumbs-up: How can you tell that there is a fossil in a rock? :Cave Man: It's my bone!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kauffy Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 that is a very cool fossil fish indeed, has it been squished down (thus looking at the top* of the skull and body?) or am i just going crazy???? "Turn the fear of the unknown into the excitment of possibility!"We dont stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N.AL.hunter Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Thats a cool fossil!!!! :Thumbs-up: How can you tell that there is a fossil in a rock? :Cave Man: 1. Lift it up and feel the heft. 2. Smell for them. 3. Lick the rock for fossil taste 4. Place next to your ear and see if it calls out to you... or Split the darn thing open! Seriously, without splitting (or an expensive trip to radiology) you can't know what's inside, but a lot of time there is just a little bit visible at the surface. I've found concretions that will have a clearly visible 'line' on the outside where part of the fossil within is reaching the surface. You split parallel with that line. Also have found many concretions with nothing inside, and some with nothing visible on surface and yet full of fossil. A good rule of thumb is, if the concretions in the area have produced fossils before, then they most likely still do, so split carefully. And one more thing, I usually find natural fractures in the concretions and just gently tap into them for the split. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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