New display cabinets

[FossilNerd]

For quite a while now I have been looking for some type of cabinet to display my better/favorite specimens. Curio cabinets and the like tend to be out of my price range. Even the used ones. My wonderful wife found some used glass retail cabinets for sale. They were so cheaply priced that I bought 2! They are 6 feet (1.82 meters)long by 3 feet (.9 meters) tall and 20 inches (50.8cm)wide.

Now I can display some of my collection without worrying so much about dust, dirt, or accidental breakage as they were sitting out on an open shelf before. I’m super excited and had to share!

 

The pic shows one of the cabinets. I’m temporarily using this one as storage as I had to get rid of the shelf I mentioned to make room. I’m working on the other one first as my main display. I’ll post some pics of it when I progress a little further and it looks more presentable. 

 

[Randyw]

Cool! Should make a great display!

[ynot]

[caldigger]

I have four display cabinets and ran out of room quick as a bunny. 

I don't have furniture for guests to sit on given these things take up my entire living space.  But I don't mind! 

[Bobby Rico]

23 minutes ago, caldigger said:

I have four display cabinets and ran out of room quick as a bunny. 

I don't have furniture for guests to sit on given these things take up my entire living space.  But I don't mind! 

They don’t need to sit they have your collection to view, what more could they want . 

[caldigger]

They don't exactly have a choice either.

I also have a policy that they must keep moving, like viewing the Crown Jewels. 

[Bobby Rico]

27 minutes ago, caldigger said:

They don't exactly have a choice either.

I also have a policy that they must keep moving, like viewing the Crown Jewels. 

Do you hand out information leaflets .

 

nice cabinet  @FossilNerd 

[FossilNerd]

Thanks everyone! @Bobby Rico @Randyw @ynot @caldigger

 

5 hours ago, caldigger said:

I have four display cabinets and ran out of room quick as a bunny. 

I don't have furniture for guests to sit on given these things take up my entire living space.  But I don't mind! 

Nice! I haven’t convince my wife to let me put them in the living area...yet...  I have my own little room where all my nerdy stuff is. 

4 hours ago, Bobby Rico said:

Do you hand out information leaflets .

 

nice cabinet  @FossilNerd 

I can see him standing there handing out leaflets saying “Keep it moving folks. Everyone wants to see. Please, no flash photography.” Lol

 

 

[caldigger]

5 hours ago, FossilNerd said:

I can see him standing there handing out leaflets saying “Keep it moving folks. Everyone wants to see. Please, no flash photography.” Lol

If they want photos, they may purchase a catalogue in the gift shop. 

[FossilNerd]

Starting to get things organized. May not stay this way in the end, but making a little progress. Still going through things.

 

The top shelf has some of my favorite fossils, or some of my better specimens. A large cephalopod, pieces of petrified wood (one very detailed), a few crinoids, brachiopods, and corals. Oh and a pair of trilobites that I love! My wife bought them for my birthday (last year?). Asaphus Intermedius and Asaphus Punctatus.  My favorite thing about them are the eye stalks.

 

The items on the middle shelf will probably move to the bottom as I find more specimens to display. They are mostly gifts from family or purchases I made when I first started collecting. A lot of what I like to call "gift shop fossils". Things like an Orthoceras Tower, fossil "sample" pack, fossils from one of those dig kits geared towards children, etc. I also have a few purchases I made that I regret... A composite Otodus shark tooth. A Knightia Eocaena that is mostly paint. I like to keep these around to remind me of where I started and how far I've come. Also to remind me that knowledge is power, I didn't spend much on the Otodus or the Knightia, but I bought them on a whim without knowing anything. Once I got the specimens in hand and did a little research I found the error of my ways.

 

There is also a large piece of petrified wood sitting in the bottom of the cabinet.

[Ludwigia]

You’re off to a good start. Have fun with your next cabinet 

[Joe_17]

On 6/16/2019 at 10:34 PM, FossilNerd said:

Starting to get things organized. May not stay this way in the end, but making a little progress. Still going through things.

 

The top shelf has some of my favorite fossils, or some of my better specimens. A large cephalopod, pieces of petrified wood (one very detailed), a few crinoids, brachiopods, and corals. Oh and a pair of trilobites that I love! My wife bought them for my birthday (last year?). Asaphus Intermedius and Asaphus Punctatus.  My favorite thing about them are the eye stalks.

 

The items on the middle shelf will probably move to the bottom as I find more specimens to display. They are mostly gifts from family or purchases I made when I first started collecting. A lot of what I like to call "gift shop fossils". Things like an Orthoceras Tower, fossil "sample" pack, fossils from one of those dig kits geared towards children, etc. I also have a few purchases I made that I regret... A composite Otodus shark tooth. A Knightia Eocaena that is mostly paint. I like to keep these around to remind me of where I started and how far I've come. Also to remind me that knowledge is power, I didn't spend much on the Otodus or the Knightia, but I bought them on a whim without knowing anything. Once I got the specimens in hand and did a little research I found the error of my ways.

 

There is also a large piece of petrified wood sitting in the bottom of the cabinet.

Awesome!! These are the exact type of shelves i want! Know anywhere i can get similar ones?

[FossilNerd]

52 minutes ago, Joe_17 said:

Awesome!! These are the exact type of shelves i want! Know anywhere i can get similar ones?

 

Depends on how much you want to spend and what condition you want them in. I’ve seen new ones for sale on the internet for hundreds of dollars. My wife found these for sale on social media. A local store had bought new cabinets and were selling their old ones super cheap just to get rid of them. They have a few scratches, dents, and dings, but are in decent shape over all. 

[caldigger]

Craigslist is another good source.

I got one of mine through that from a bakery

( cake displays )  that was moving.

[FossilNerd]

20 minutes ago, caldigger said:

Craigslist is another good source.

Oh yeah! That too. 

[Randyw]

Look for small store closings too. They normally liquidate their fixtures for not too much.

[Sagebrush Steve]

On 6/16/2019 at 8:34 PM, FossilNerd said:

I also have a few purchases I made that I regret... A composite Otodus shark tooth. A Knightia Eocaena that is mostly paint. I like to keep these around to remind me of where I started and how far I've come. Also to remind me that knowledge is power, I didn't spend much on the Otodus or the Knightia, but I bought them on a whim without knowing anything. Once I got the specimens in hand and did a little research I found the error of my ways.

 

Don’t regret them, use them as examples for your visitors to learn from so they know what to avoid when they go shopping for their own fossils..

[FossilNerd]

1 hour ago, Sagebrush Steve said:

Don’t regret them, use them as examples for your visitors to learn from so they know what to avoid when they go shopping for their own fossils..

Good point! They are good examples for others. I know I got an education from them for sure!