onewing Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 (edited) Hi Fellas, The background to this minor collection is that they were to be a present for someone, though the relationship ran its course leaving me with them. I was procuring somewhat valuable and interesting things to fill a small chest. For example I had rare metals, platinum bullion, gold soveriegn, nuggets, rough diamonds and other gems a button tektite ect. anything I could find that was small yet held value. I really dont have any clue as to the authenticity of these, from memory the amber pieces were around $100 from lithuania, as was the opalised clam from Australia, the teeth may have been slightly less and the infamous chinese keichousaurus was >$100 (and from china). Yes the keichousaurus was a ebay purchase from china, from what I've read most are fakes though personally I cant see evidence in this, though then I have no knowledge on fossils. First I thought the lines around the bones were from the water moving the sedement around the dead lizard but later I realised that it is more likely the layers of the shale as its been ground down around the fossil, is that correct? Again I dont know how authentic the amber is, from a lithuanian seller. He had many pieces for sale most with very minor inclusions. I just bough those that had a decent sized insect, though that did cost me. What family of insects are these? I did know at the time though this was a number of years ago. The teeth were from a US seller, supposedly its a raptor tooth and a broken larger one from a pterosaur. The shells seem legit. The opalised clam from Australia cannot be captured in a photo it looks quite stunning in the sun and I like how unpolished it is, makes it more real. The other shell is cheap. Anyways, thats it. Anyone have other ideas for a "treasure box" of interesting stuff? everything around coin sized. Edited February 8, 2011 by onewing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 They all look like very spiffy fossils to me. Everything seems excellent and authentic. Thanks for sharing your collection at TFF! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelhead9 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Hello: The keichousaurus actually is real, as are all your other fossils except the insects in amber. Virtually all the insects, lizards, etc. in amber sold on ebay are fakes. The wavy lines around the keichousaurus skeleton are the different layers of shale exposed as the matrix is ground off around the skeleton. Good luck with your collection! Still Life Fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paleozoicfish Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Hello: The keichousaurus actually is real, as are all your other fossils except the insects in amber. Virtually all the insects, lizards, etc. in amber sold on ebay are fakes. The wavy lines around the keichousaurus skeleton are the different layers of shale exposed as the matrix is ground off around the skeleton. Good luck with your collection! I am going to have to disagree with you. While the big ticket items such as dragonflies, tarantulas and lizards are commonly faked, common insects and arachnids in amber are plentiful and there are hundreds of real examples on ebay. -PzF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglephot Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 A lot of my fossils are eBay purchases as well. Great place for great deals on authentic (mostly) specimens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FCW Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 Your Keichousaurus is fake. The Pterosaur tooth is an Enchodus tooth. Everything else is real. Be careful out there and enjoy an amazing hobby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Your Keichousaurus is fake... I disagree; it has had the typical heavy-handed grinder preparation, with some bones repainted, but I think it is genuine, and an unusual ventral position at that. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 100% Correct Chas. Rather than reinvent the wheel or order x-rays this recent discussion addresses the topic completely. LINK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paleozoicfish Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 100% Correct Chas. Rather than reinvent the wheel or order x-rays this recent discussion addresses the topic completely. LINK I concur as well, definitely not fake. Wiki Guy - Learn from the best on this forum, you obviously are new to fossils. cheers, -PzF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FCW Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 The spine is a painted line. Fake. It's from a seller in China. Fake. Are you saying that you can't tell a fake when it's dancing naked right in front of you? :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palaeopix Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 The spine is a painted line. Fake. It's from a seller in China. Fake. Are you saying that you can't tell a fake when it's dancing naked right in front of you? :lol: Did I miss something here? What spine are you referring to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 The spine is a painted line. Fake. It's from a seller in China. Fake. Are you saying that you can't tell a fake when it's dancing naked right in front of you? Hey Wiki, It's great to have you on board here at TFF. I can tell you really enjoy fossils! You have found a great community of fellow fossil fans. In the previous comments it was pointed out to you that your assumption is wrong-minded actually. There was a recent discussion that should be of interest to you if like the rest of us you seek to expand your understanding on matters that appear unclear. None of us have all of the answers, nor should we. Otherwise what would the point be? I'm sure you didn't come here to be a forum of one or to have everyone here follow in lock-step of your every decree. Mocking helpful direction is probably not the best idea ... There is an amazing wealth of information and brilliant folks that make this forum one of the best of its kind anywhere ... Please take a moment of your time to go read the following thread: LINK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paleozoicfish Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 The spine is a painted line. Fake. It's from a seller in China. Fake. Are you saying that you can't tell a fake when it's dancing naked right in front of you? :lol: Excuse me?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paleozoicfish Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Did I miss something here? What spine are you referring to? I think he mean the vertebral column on the keichousaur, which is not painted... -PzF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palaeopix Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 I think he mean the vertebral column on the keichousaur, which is not painted... -PzF Oh, that spine! I guess I'm not quite over the flu (medication) yet. :sick: Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raff Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 I think the Keicho bones were highlighted with black china ink, that is a common practice in China Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 (edited) Personally, I'm on the fence with the Kiech. It's one of those 'must see in person' to be certain. I can see where the backbone might 'look' painted, but it also looks to be a bit weathered. Note the spine on this one--especially the strong contrast between verts.. The Pter tooth does look like an enchodus to me. Edited February 28, 2011 by Frank Menser Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 The Keich posted by Onewing has the typical preservation expected from the Chinese dealers. They are generally roughed out rapidly and landscaped with a wire wheel. When you factor in how ubiquitous these fossils actually are it just doesn't make sense to fabricate one from thin air. This specimen is actually better than most as the tell-tale wheel marks have been removed with fine grit sanding. Hardly worth the effort if it were not authentic. Reconstruction of missing elements is standard practice on these but there is a fossil here. Up close examination by a knowledgeable expert would yield an exact restoration map to determine the percentage of fossil versus paint or putty. Shy of that however and the absence of x-ray images in this case we have a nice and fairly inexpensive representation of a Keichousaurus fossil, mostly real in my evaluation. Here is a "Genuine Fake" :startle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raff Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 (edited) Perhaps the tooth is from a Syroccopteryx moroccensis, Enchodus libycus teeth generally are more curved, lighter and larger Edited February 28, 2011 by Raff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenInTime Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 The Keichousaurus is partially real. The part of the neck between the two "quartz veins" is definitely just carved rock. The "quartz veins" are fake as well. They are not so hard to reconstruct. Whether the head is real, I don't know, but I recognize signs of real bones in the body, so you definitely do not have a complete fake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 The Keichousaurus is partially real. The part of the neck between the two "quartz veins" is definitely just carved rock. The "quartz veins" are fake as well. They are not so hard to reconstruct. Whether the head is real, I don't know, but I recognize signs of real bones in the body, so you definitely do not have a complete fake. The quartz veins are not reconstructed. Furthermore, an accredited mineralogist would not be able to deduce a phony quartz reconstruction from this low quality image so for you to imply that here stretches credulity to the brink. Do a minimum of research, read the previously posted thread where x-rays finally proved an almost identical specimen to be authentic. What you suggest defies all logic even if we assume the thought process of the would be faker of Keichousaurus fossils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenInTime Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 But then tell me why does the skull suddenly stop beyond the first quartz vein, while the neck does continue after the other quartz vein? Makes no sense at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 But then tell me why does the skull suddenly stop beyond the first quartz vein, while the neck does continue after the other quartz vein? Makes no sense at all. Attempting to precisely confirm the attributes from low quality images is difficult. In this case we can offer the most reasonable conclusions based on other examples. A friend was discussing this with me and he offered the analogy of the frequency of this material being akin to the Knightia of the Green River formation. We can debate all day about missing elements, painted parts, reconstructed quartz seams and so forth. Just try to visualize the frenzied pace at which these are quarried and run through a buzzsaw of production to be offered up in very short order at the nearest online fossil selling venue. There is nothing more nefarious at work here than the thrifty commerce of authentic and shoddily prepped Keichousaurus fossils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trapper Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Looks like some nice Ebay finds to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sseth Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Perhaps the tooth is from a Syroccopteryx moroccensis, Enchodus libycus teeth generally are more curved, lighter and larger I tend to agree that the tooth may be Syroccopteryx moroccensis but it is difficult to tell size from this photo. SSeth _____________________________________ Seth www.fossilshack.com www.americanfossil.com www.fishdig.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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