Keichousaur

[BonuFrailman]

Morning everyone,

was wondering if this Keich looks real. Seller claims it’s from guizhou xingyi Triassic deposits.

It is 18cm by 9cm

 

 

[BonuFrailman]

[digit]

I know very little about these interesting tiny marine reptiles (other than they seem to be reasonably common in the fossil trade--also reasonably common in the fake fossil trade).

 

If you search this forum for 'keichousaurus' or 'keichousaur' you'll likely find lots of topics discussing the merits of various specimens that prospective buyers have displayed for our opinions of authenticity or amount of restoration (or fabrication). Most fakes look pretty fake when the anatomy is compared to multiple known real specimens. The 'artwork' that is carved into the matrix and then colored to look like bone often lacks detail in the smallest parts and looks clumsy compared to an authentic fossil.

 

In my (completely non-expert) opinion on this item, I'd likely side on authentic for the sole reason that a fake would likely have included a most important part (the head). To me this looks like a lower quality specimen that was obviously glued back together from pieces and a few important pieces were never recovered. I'd guess this one is real and likely fairly inexpensive as it is not as nice looking on display as one with all of its extremities.

 

If you are simply looking to add a specimen of this cool reptile to your collection and this one is priced so low as to be easily affordable and thus attractive, I'd bet you are buying authentic. If it were me, and I really wanted one of these, I'd probably hold out till I could find a dealer with a good reputation that I could trust and buy a complete specimen.

 

That's about all I can tell you (being dangerously beyond my expertise in being able to distinguish real from fake keichousaurus). My assessment is based purely on the psychology of someone making fakes. If I were a faker, I'd make a more attractive fake with the head attached.

 

Hope this helps some.

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[ynot]

4 minutes ago, digit said:

-also reasonably common in the fake fossil trade).

It is My understanding that there are very few (if any) outright fake ketchi out there.

Most of the problem is from embellished pieces, where parts have been added (carved and painted or piece work). Or they have been butchered in prepping.

 

I think this one is real, but would pass it for a more complete one.

[aplomado]

Probably real (why fake one in that bad a shape?), but I'd save my money and get one that is more complete.  All the money you spend on a busted up one you could put towards one that would make a good display piece.  The prep on that one looks kind of bad too.  Watching carefully on ebay can yield a good speciem.  A fantastic one on ebay just sold yesterday for about $140 (us prepped with sandblaster, done by a forum member).  Just my two cents.  

[Crazyhen]

It is genuine and acid prepped.  Like others said, it’s not worth to collect this broken incomplete specimen.

 

And yes, completely fake ones are easy to spot, see attached photo.  You got either genuine one or genuine one with paint or fabricated.