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Dave's Down To Earth Rock Shop and Prehistoric Life Museum


Nimravis

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4 hours ago, Bobby Rico said:

Thanks for the advice. Still learning.

No worries.

4 hours ago, Malcolmt said:

Wow... what incredible pictures.... thankyou so much for sharing..... Better than most major museum public collections I've seen....

 

Anything but a small time hole in the wall.. looks like a life time of collecting and sharing what they found....

I thought it looked like a typical hole in the wall rock shop from the outside, but by the contents it does not!

3 hours ago, Nimravis said:

I believe that these were found in the late 60's / early 70's. On a routine basis collectors would bring their finds to The Field Museum and Dr. Eugene Richardson would go through their finds of unusual fauna and sometimes come across new ones. Others like Gordon Baird, Dave Bardack, Rainer Zangerl, Jarmila Kukalova-Peck, etc. would also review these finds at the Field or they were sent to them.

But how does he end up with holotype specimens? Did he say to Richardson (or whomever) "I've got my own museum, I can house them there instead of the Field Museum after you're done with them" and he said "OK"?

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Good gracious what a trip. Thanks for showing us the pictures.

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

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1 hour ago, Wrangellian said:

No worries.

I thought it looked like a typical hole in the wall rock shop from the outside, but by the contents it does not!

But how does he end up with holotype specimens? Did he say to Richardson (or whomever) "I've got my own museum, I can house them there instead of the Field Museum after you're done with them" and he said "OK"?

I was not collecting then, but I know others that have their Holotype Mazon Creek fossils- the Field would accept them if they were donated, but it was no requirement. Some of the fossils that the various people studied were out of the hands of the collector who found them for years before they were returned to them.

1 hour ago, -Andy- said:

Good gracious what a trip. Thanks for showing us the pictures.

Andy, I thought that you would like some of the Dino material, and I did not take pics of everything.

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Fascinating! And thanks very much for all of the detailed photos which made it possible for us to have the grand tour. Excellent quality to be seen there and a good number of rarities. Just curious: What is that grey "bowling ball" on the dinosaur table?

 

Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger

http://www.steinkern.de/

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Nice collection, but I was worried about the "holotype problem" as well. It is not compulsory, but highly recommended that all holotypes go to public collections as they must be available for research and comparison. Private collections just can't fulfil the requirements for keeping a holotype.

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48 minutes ago, Taogan said:

Nice collection, but I was worried about the "holotype problem" as well. It is not compulsory, but highly recommended that all holotypes go to public collections as they must be available for research and comparison. Private collections just can't fulfil the requirements for keeping a holotype.

I understand what you are saying, but back when Mazon Creek Holotypes were found, that was not the case. They researchers were happy to be studying them and like I mentioned in an earlier post, some of these fossils were out of the hands if the collectors for years before being returned- sometimes the collectors left them with the Field Museum other times they took them home.

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Thanks for showing us that tour.  That is THE MOST AMAZING collection I have ever seen in private hands and such a range of beasties.  Having donated a few crabs for science, I too was amazed that they had holotypes in the collection.  That dragon fly nymph knocked me over.  Truly an amazing collection. 

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10 hours ago, Ludwigia said:

Fascinating! And thanks very much for all of the detailed photos which made it possible for us to have the grand tour. Excellent quality to be seen there and a good number of rarities. Just curious: What is that grey "bowling ball" on the dinosaur table?

I just zoomed in on another picture- it is identified as a Saltasaurus Sauropod egg from Patagonia, Argentina.

2 hours ago, crabfossilsteve said:

Thanks for showing us that tour.  That is THE MOST AMAZING collection I have ever seen in private hands and such a range of beasties.  Having donated a few crabs for science, I too was amazed that they had holotypes in the collection.  That dragon fly nymph knocked me over.  Truly an amazing collection. 

Yes it is- and to think, I only took pictures of some of the fossils, there was a lot that I did not. If I am in the neighborhood again, I will take a few more and post.

4 hours ago, LordTrilobite said:

Great photos!

Thanks much.

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2 hours ago, ynot said:

Very nice presentation, thanks for the virtual tour.

Glad you liked it Tony.

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  • 11 months later...

I was able to spend some time at Dave's yesterday afternoon while my wife was in the city- the collection is every bit as amazing as the pictures suggested, especially the Mazon Creek portion! There is more Mazon material on display there than at the Field Museum, including a number of really stunning specimens. 

 

The rock/gem store upstairs was hopping, but I was the only person downstairs in the museum, so I could peruse the fossils at my leisure (another big difference from the Field). I took a few pictures of some of my favorite pieces:

 

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There was also this delightful painting of fairies/pixies helping collect Mazon Creek nodules- hauling, cleaning and inspecting them. Quite unique! I absolutely recommend a stop by the shop if anyone is in the Chicago area. 

 

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Spectacular fossils and great painting! Would definitely go there to see it in person if I were ever in the area.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/2/2018 at 7:30 AM, deutscheben said:

There is more Mazon material on display there than at the Field Museum, including a number of really stunning specimens. 

Correct- and there are Holotypes included, I believe 3 of them that were found by the Douglas family.

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@Nimravis Does the rock/gem shop upstairs actually have a large selection of fossils for sale? I’ve read their reviews online, and am wondering if they mainly sell jewelry/gemstones/beads?

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21 minutes ago, BLT said:

@Nimravis Does the rock/gem shop upstairs actually have a large selection of fossils for sale? I’ve read their reviews online, and am wondering if they mainly sell jewelry/gemstones/beads?

Yes they do have a large section of fossils, and they are all over the store. It is worthwhile stopping in at the store versus looking online.  I believe the online portion does not appear to be real up to date because they do not show what they really have for sale.

 

This is really a great place to stop at, it is better than any other store I have been too. One of the main reasons is because of it Museum downstairs. There are not many places outside of big museums or Universities where you can see actual Holotype fossils and Dave’s has 3 from Mazon Creek. One each was found by him and his mother and father. Dave is no longer at the shop, but it is run by family. It is a must visit when in the Chicagoland area.

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Yeah, they had a full range of fossils for sale, from brachiopods and low quality Moroccan trilobites to really nice dinosaur and mammal pieces and finely-prepped Russian trilobites. 

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  • 1 month later...
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Thanks, Ralph, I certainly do love 'em. 

The trilobites, other invertebrates, little dinosaurs..................:wub:

WOW ! ! !

What a place. :drool:

Not that it's likely to happen, but wifey has already forbidden me to enter that emporium

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Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

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  • 5 years later...

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