Petrified Tree Stump

[Brad1978]

I found this petrified tree stump today in very good condition.  It weighs approximately 100 lbs, stands 1 foot tall and is 10 inches in diameter.  Not sure on what kind of tree it was but it still has the bark.  I was curious of how much I could sell this for.  I found it near the Frio River and it hasn’t been cut or polished.  I did wash the dirt off of it but thats it.

[RJB]

Im not a wood guy, But for me, its really just a chunk of rock.  But also, this forum does not to appraisals.  Not sure how to spell that?  Just lettin you know.

 

RB

[Tidgy's Dad]

Have a look on some of the fossil selling and auction sites for similar objects. 

And it really all depends on how much someone likes it. 

[jpc]

24 minutes ago, RJB said:

Im not a wood guy, But for me, its really just a chunk of rock.  But also, this forum does not to appraisals.  Not sure how to spell that?  Just lettin you know.

 

RB

Ron-

You are getting better in your ... heck I was going to say 'old age', but that's not nice.  

Ron you got the spelling right.  wooo hooo.  

 

I also don't see any wood texture/structure here.  Can you see tree rings on the cut/broken surface?  

 

[Brad1978]

If it were cut and polished you’d be able to see rings but as of now it’s just got a layer of petina covering the pretty stuff.  I don’t have a lapidary saw or the tools to polish it.  I know that in tact pieces this size are being priced pretty high on eBay.  Guessing from where I found it at that it’s several million years old.  There are two more that are still in tree form and much taller and larger that I’m having trouble digging out from an eroded clay/dirt bluff on the side of the river.  These bluffs are 40 to 50 feet high and they are starting to wash out and crumble exposing what has been covered up for so many years.  Wish I knew what kind of tree it was.  Probably extinct

[Brad1978]

I’m 100% certain that it’s petrified wood because I have a collection of it and I’ve got a good eye for it.  Lots of petrified wood specimins appear to be just rock with no wood texture but it’s because of the layers  and layers of petina that cause them to almost look unidentifiable and most would never even be recognized if they are old enough pieces.  Over time it all just becomes flint, quartz, opal, or agate.    

[Fossildude19]

Per the Forum Rules and Community Standards: 

 

"Please understand that The Fossil Forum cannot appraise the commercial value of a fossil; this is beyond what can be done through pictures on the internet, so please don't ask."  

[Kane]

I'm also not seeing petrified wood. Not quite sure about the patina aspect, either. A patina would generally cover a surface, and thus breaking off a piece would show the structure inside. Perhaps more pictures are required to make a more convincing case.

[caldigger]

It looks like the top 1/3rd is broken off and set back on the rest. Is it? If so, you should be able to see the fresh surface and photograph it.

[Brad1978]

Taking pictures with an iphone is not doing this any justice.  There are no fresh breaks on it and the bark is smoother than most trees have.  I would have to cut it to be able to see any rings.  Given the minerals it was exposed to over the centuries it has a dull look but if you have hunted petrified wood in southwest texas it all looks that way.  Nothing like finding them in Arizona.  I spotted this piece from about 30 yards away and knew that it was petrified wood.  I’m not an expert but examining this piece in person makes alot of difference compared to the crappy picture quality.  There’s actually alot of petrified trees and driftwood that can be found in the dirt around the dry frio.  It’s fairly common.

[Brad1978]

I can’t get any of the other pictures to upload.  Keeps telling me there was a problem. Can someone please tell me how to resize my photos. 

Edited March 6, 2018 by Brad1978
Modification

[Ludwigia]

5 hours ago, Pedernales78 said:

I can’t get any of the other pictures to upload.  Keeps telling me there was a problem. Can someone please tell me how to resize my photos. 

Here you go

[Brad1978]

Problem is I don’t have easy access to a computer.  Is there a way to do it with a mobile device like iPhone for instance?

[Kane]

1 hour ago, Pedernales78 said:

Problem is I don’t have easy access to a computer.  Is there a way to do it with a mobile device like iPhone for instance?

Resize a Photo from the iPhone & iPad by Email

This relies on the Mail sending feature to change the resolution of an image sent from the iPhone or iPad, this is done by reducing the overall size to one of several options:

 

1. From the Photos app, select the photo(s) you want to resize then tap on the “Share” option (the little arrow icon)

2. Choose “Mail” and select the recipient, choosing your own email as the recipient if you want to just resize an image and share it with yourself

3. Tap on “Send” to bring about the resize options, choose one of the following to change the resolution of the picture as follows:

 

“Small” is 320×240 – 

“Medium” is 640×480″ – 

“Large” is 1632×1224 – 

“Actual” is 3264×2448 – 

[Brad1978]

[Brad1978]

[Brad1978]

Hope these help a little

[Tidgy's Dad]

I may be wrong, but i see no wood texture, though a close up of the detail of the top might help. 

It looks like a rather large and bizarre concretion to me. 

[jpc]

I am with TD.  

[Brad1978]

I just polished it up but I’m still having trouble resizing my pictures. I tried sending them to my email and I never got an option to resize.  It is without a doubt petrified wood.  I just wish I could get the right pictures up.  It has wood grain but it’s fine and hard to see unless you get up close to it.  This is probably my best find because it’s almost in perfectly in tact.  I have to find a way to resize these.  

[Brad1978]

I took a wire brush and removed alot of the softer layer off the too and bottom and i can see orange and blue in it now.  I bet it would look really nice cut into slabs and polished.

[Brad1978]

Hope those help.  If not then I need to invest in a good camera

[Tidgy's Dad]

Yes, I now see what you mean and take it all back. 

Perhaps i'm just reading things into it, but it now seems like plant matter to me. 

Stem of something big, not sure what it could be in Texas, but looks like a giant clubmoss. 

[Brad1978]

Kinda looks like the bark was peeled off of it leaving just the inner layer.  There’s a petrified tree out at the same location that is being uncovered by errosion and I think that it’s still connected to it’s roots.  It’s about 8 feet tall or more and 16” in diameter.  I wanna get out in tact but man, digging out the clay that it’s covered in hasn’t been easy.  I’m afraid someone is gonna see it and try to pull it out with a chain and break it.  

[jpc]

That last picture is interesting... maybe it is wood after all.  sorry for doubting you, but good job on the second set of pix.