Fakers are out there!

[Jeff. mack]

I felt bad for my loving fiancé when I opened my Christmas present. And almost immediately recognized this giant Morrocan trilobite as a fake.  A pretty bad fake at that!  There are just a plethora of things wrong with it!  Enjoy looking.......... when i put it underwater for a few seconds and  paint started washing of it, she was convinced.  Makes me mad that the guy selling it, told her it was completely authentic and must of known that didnt know any better. But I still will keep it in my collection as a fake. And I will keep an eye on this guy and see if he tries to pass any more fakes.  Anyway it is a great conversation starter. 

 

Merry Christmas!

 

 

[Darktooth]

Atleast your Fiance' buys you fossils for Christmas. Now she needs to become a forum member so she can learn how to spot fakes before she buys anything else.

[FranzBernhard]

Sure this is complete fake? Its largely carved, of course. But completely carved, no real parts?

Franz Bernhard

[Jeff. mack]

Well that's what I was thinking as well.....looks like they might have taken part of a real one and tried to make it whole.  I don't know much about fakes?........is that a common way people would fake a Fossil?

Thx

[Jeff. mack]

I washed more paint of an maybe there is some real parts there?

 

[Kane]

What is left is what is likely authentic. 

[Jeff. mack]

Well that's cool then!  Not a total loss!

Thx 

[North]

Friend of my also got similar half faked trilobite for herself. 

[erose]

It’s the thought that counts. And besides it appears to more restored than faked. 

[FranzBernhard]

17 hours ago, Jeff. mack said:

I don't know much about fakes?

That´s a whole world with some grey boundaries between the individual continents.

 

When a replica is called replica, that´s ok. Is it called genuine, its a fake.

Best replicas at the moment seem to come out of 3D-printers. Don´t know, if they are also sold as genuine.

 

But, hey, completely fake insects have been printed on rocks with usual printers and sold as genuine - fake!!!

 

Yes, it seems, in your specimen, what was left, is real. As said, you can it also call it a (poor) restoration. It was sold as completely genuine, so it is fraud.

 

Did I mention grey boundaries ?

 

Franz Bernhard

Edited December 26, 2023 by FranzBernhard

[Kane]

With that said, I do wish they would make the additional effort to ensure the pleurae are symmetrical on each side. Note how on the right side of the upper portion of the pygidium an additional pleural was added.

[Sjfriend]

Unfortunately I did some looking around Quartzsite 2 weeks ago. 80% of what I saw and looked closely at was either fake or heavily restored but all advertised as "real". Unfortunately I was limited on time so didn't make it a lot of vendors. I'm sure there are some true sales people there just not where I saw.

Edited January 27 by Sjfriend

[Yoda]

If it was me I wouldn’t have washed the paint off. 
Would have appreciated the Trilobite for what it was - part genuine, part fake 

Just my opinion.