The real Diplomystus dentatus???

[Cicija]

I have had no experience with fish fossils so far. I came across this copy at auction. From the Green River Formation, Wyoming, USA,  Eocene period.

The fish itself is 15cm in legnth.
Is it a real fossil Diplomystus dentatus? 
 

[trilobites_are_awesome]

Real with some resto.

[jpc]

yes, it is real.  Some of the more delicate fin bones may be painted on.  

[Moth.11]

Real, with possibly some restorations. Good specimens 

[rocket]

might be a bit overpainted (normal in this layers), but a nice one

[Fossildude19]

White is real bone.

Deeper (Sorry!)  lighter blue areas appear to have been inked or painted.

Edges of fins, skull and backbone/ribs.

 

Photo with reverse black and white setting:

 

[Jaybot]

1 hour ago, Fossildude19 said:

White is real bone.

Deeper blue areas appear to have been inked or painted.

Edges of fins, skull and backbone/ribs.

 

Photo with reverse black and white setting:

 

Great technique Tim!  I'll start using that, never thought reversing B/W would reveal so much

[snolly50]

3 hours ago, Fossildude19 said:

Deeper blue areas appear to have been inked or painted.

 

If the deeper blue is ink/paint, to what purpose? It (blue) appears randomly distributed, except for the excavated matrix edges with consistent color. I like the image manipulation as a way of sleuthing, but I'm not sure what I'm seeing. That is, reconciling it to someone's attempt to "better" the piece.

[Fossildude19]

4 minutes ago, snolly50 said:

 

If the deeper blue is ink/paint, to what purpose? It (blue) appears randomly distributed, except for the excavated matrix edges with consistent color. I like the image manipulation as a way of sleuthing, but I'm not sure what I'm seeing. That is, reconciling it to someone's attempt to "better" the piece.

 

 

Sorry, I misspoke.  The lighter blue/turquoise color was where the paint is.
Here is a large, enhanced version with red dotted lines showing where I am seeing paint.

 

[snolly50]

1 hour ago, Fossildude19 said:

lighter blue/turquoise color was where the paint is.

Thanks, that seems much less random, then what I initially perceived. Do you infer that the variance in color value, now seen; is the result of paint thickness? That is, from application, inconsistency, like brushing? 

[Fossildude19]

I'm inferring the light blue color indicates pigment has been applied, as it differs from  the bones" natural colors, and its placement is consistent with areas usually touched up to make the fish fossil look more complete than it actually is.

 

The areas often painted are the tail edges, fin tips, and areas of the body that may lack natural colors due to splitting of the rock - sometimes part of the fish stays on one side, while the rest ends up on the other counterpart.

[Cicija]

Thanks. Too much is drawn for me. I gave up on the purchase.

 

@Fossildude19 Do you use Photoshop or another program?

Edited October 31 by Cicija

[Fossildude19]

1 hour ago, Cicija said:

Thanks. Too much is drawn for me. I gave up on the purchase.

 

@Fossildude19 Do you use Photoshop or another program?

 

 

I use Photoscape. It is a free software. 

 

To be clear, only the edges of the fins/tail are drawn, and the other areas are probably lightly coated with a tint to make it all more even looking.

The use of tint/paint/ink is very common on less expensive Green River fish, ...  as is drawing/completing the fins or tail.