DeloiVarden Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 (edited) Hey Guys, I thought I would start a thread about interesting or alternative ways to display your shark teeth. I know sticking a meg out of a whale vertebrae is not new, and I certainly didn't think I would ever do it. However, I recenlty found a 5.5+" tooth that had a lot of damage to the tip and a nice whale vertebrae with a hole in the side and couldn't resist. The fact that the tooth didn't have any takers after posting it a while back also helped convince me to see what else I could do with it. I do think that the size of the tooth and vertebrae set it aside from the more common smaller examples. I also think it adds interest that I did not mount the tooth coming out of the top of the vert as most are done. I have always thought the symetry of such presentations looked too unatural and a natural occurance of such a setup would have required the shark to bite between vertebrae, which was less likely. The way it is now is more like what you would expect of the shark came at the whale from the top and side biting into the back of the whale. I realize that such a presentation is not for everyone and that this would be very unlikely to ever occur naturally (that is that a tooth would stay enbedded in the vert), but I think this still makes a great display and conversation piece. The tooth is now permanently affixed with a little more than 4 1/2" of tooth exposed. The tooth is about 4 1/2 wide and the vert about 6" across. The whole thing is very heavy! I was going to sell the it, but it turned out well enough that I am tempted to hold on to it for at least a little while. What do you guys think (not as far as buying or selling, but as far as whether or not making the display piece was a good idea or not)? Jason Edited January 21, 2012 by DeloiVarden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeloiVarden Posted January 21, 2012 Author Share Posted January 21, 2012 Before I get reamed for ruining a big tooth, here is the before pic of the 5 1/2" tooth... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullsnake Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 (edited) Megs and whale verts are out of my area of collecting, but when I saw your first pic I was like WHOA!!! . Then after reading your concept, I thought ok, still pretty cool and looks like a good fit, but...I kind of like the tooth just the way it is. Cool, huge tooth even though broken. Just my opinion. Edited January 21, 2012 by Bullsnake Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkbyte Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Hello Jason, I think I like the tooth and whale vert seperate as well as combined. It makes a unique presentation for a lighted curio cabinet or maybe even an office desk. I agree that it is a better presentation than the ones sticking out of the ends of a vert. Looks nice. Bobby "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Confucius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeloiVarden Posted January 21, 2012 Author Share Posted January 21, 2012 (edited) Thanks for the replies guys. I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea and I really didn't think I would like it so much either. It is a bit like taxidermy when you mount a fish over drift wood or a flying duck over a tree branch or in our hobby, a skelaton of a dino walking around. I don't think anyone see one of those and says I wonder if they found it like that. But as Bullsnake or Sharkbyte pointed it out, would look great in a display cabinet or on an office desk. I am sure there are worse decorative stuff on office desks out there. Funny you mention it though, because my brother is already asking me if he can have it for his desk and I bet there are more folks out there that would. But there are also plenty of die hard fossil collectors that say leave the fossils 100% natural and I am usually one of them. I will never understand why someone would pay $100 for a peeled meg that has been diamond polished so you can see your reflection. Then again, I guess I did buy one of those shells with my name polished/carved in it when I was a kid. Edited January 21, 2012 by DeloiVarden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wRick Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I like it. Let me know if you figure out something to do with all the whale ear bones! "There is no difference between Zen and Purgatory and Time Warner Cable, and they are trying to tach me this, but I am a dim impatient pupil." ----- xonenine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeloiVarden Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Hot glue them on the side of your halloween pumpkins... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I think it is an interesting wasy to display two competing species. There are plenty of pristine meg teeth and whale verts. available for scientific study. Tasteful pieces that can inspire conversation with people if not amaze them are unique. Is the vert weighted? I like the cantilever It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kehbe Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) I think it's awesome looking! As a matter of fact, if it were mine, I would stick another smaller tooth in that other hole! I don't think sharks 'lost' teeth very often but it would look like he chomped on it twice! Just my opinion and like Squali points out, it's not like there is a shortage of shark teeth and whale verts! Geeze, I have seen enough shark teeth found and posted by members of this forum alone to choke out Jacques Cousteau and his entire crew! It is an interesting conversation piece now, they are still real fossils, they are still as intact as you found them and they will look excellent on someones desk or display shelf. I am of the opinion that the sheer number of shark teeth available warrants some pieces like this being put together! It's like crinoid stems around here, I got so many of them, I'm gonna start making necklaces out of them! (just kidding) Nobody is beating down my door looking for 300 million year old jewelery. But seriously, at least I know when I go to a new spot, chances are pretty good that I won't get skunked cuz' yer most likely gonna find a crinoid stem! Heck, I have quit picking up all but the really interesting ones! If I posted pictures of every single crinoid stem I found on every hunting trip, you folks would run me out of here on a rail! Great job on the piece DeloiVarden! I love it! Edited January 25, 2012 by Kehbe It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change. Charles Darwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeloiVarden Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 I think it is pretty cool! Not every fossil has to be displayed in a box. And besides if you like it., that's all that matters in the end. :Bananasaur: Best regards "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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