Real or Fake? Crinoid

[MrBones]

Hello, we asked some of our friends to see if they could find us a nice fossil overseas. It was meant as a surprise for me from my parents, so we couldn't see the fossil beforehand. First of all, they say the fossil is "painted" to bring out its features, this already sounds very fishy. Secondly, the rock it is on looks like an igneous rock, I thought the fossil baring rocks where supposed to be sedimentary. They took the fossil to different stores to verify its authenticity, but few people said it looked fake. I would like to know because it was quite expensive for an ameture fossil collector, and especially for a fake! If it is real, which is doubtable, then is there any way to remove the paint?

[MrBones]

[Fossildude19]

These are often painted. 

They are only "faked" in that sometimes they add stems from other crinoids to the calyx that is showing. 
Then the matrix is painted red and the crinoids black. 

That said, the stem on this one looks a bit odd/unnatural. 

The calyx at least, looks real to me. 

 

[MrBones]

2 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

These are often painted. 

They are only "faked" in that sometimes they add stems from other crinoids to the calyx that is showing. 
Then the matrix is painted red and the crinoids black. 

That said, the stem on this one looks a bit odd/unnatural. 

The calyx at least, looks real to me. 

 

Thank goodness, although I do see weird bubbles in the arms of the crinoid, there are other crinoid branches around the main crinoid, but they are painted red. The underside looks like its got cement in the cracks. Is there any way to remove the paint?

[Tidgy's Dad]

Here are a couple of my threads that talk a bit about Scyphocrinites elegans.

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/93407-black-sahara-erfoud-morocco/&page=4&tab=comments#comment-1031675

and 

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/93823-fossil-shops-erfoud-morocco/&

I think the stem has been added. Not sure, see how the cracks match up at the back. 

Scrape a bit off the calyx as well. 

Just to make sure it isn't a plaster copy. 

[MrBones]

This is the view from the back.

Edited November 5, 2019 by MrBones

[JohnJ]

You could try acetone (using all safety precautions) to remove the paint.

[MrBones]

4 minutes ago, JohnJ said:

You could try acetone (using all safety precautions) to remove the paint.

Thank you, I will try that.

[ClearLake]

I'd start with a good scrubbing with water just to see if that does anything, then move to the acetone (on an out of the way spot first).  Air abrasion might do the trick as well if you have that available to you.  Good luck!

[Rockwood]

4 hours ago, MrBones said:

This is the view from the back.

Consistent with it being real but heavily "prepared".

There looks to be a stem section, among the filled areas, that has been sectioned showing the degree to which the entire plate has been recrystallized.