New Members Rob H Posted July 9 New Members Share Posted July 9 Hi folks, I have a very interesting (to me) problem. I am a box maker and have been given a baby keichousaurus fossil to use as part of the lid to the box. I am attaching 3 pictures. First is a pic as taken by the seller. Second is a pic I took when received. Third is a pic just after I wiped it with a little denatured alcohol. My obvious question is what happened? I am wondering if this was faked, but maybe I'm just stupid for wiping it? Can I fix it? Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted July 9 Share Posted July 9 This looks like it was painted/inked to highlight the bones. It is a typical horrible prep job on a real Keichousaurus. The only way to fix it would be to re-paint the bones to show them off properly. As with any fossil, ... it is always best to test a small area when applying ANYTHING to it. But especially so with Chinese possibly painted fossils. Heck, who knows, ... regular water may have wiped it clean. 1 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 IPFOTM -- MAY - 2024 _________________________________________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket Posted July 10 Share Posted July 10 @Rob H: could you post a clearer pic of the Keichou after cleaning with alcohol? I would assume it is a carved one like mentioned but some of them have bones in the same color than the stone and it might be a mix. But, only might be... My experience with the Keichous says..., 95% Carvosaurus, but who knows... thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phos_01 Posted July 10 Share Posted July 10 You washed away the paint im afraid. You must have a problem now ? because your client is expecting it to arrive like he gave it to you. You must always be very careful with alcohol, or acetone. There are some restorateurs around they could repaint it. If you are interested I can give some names, just send me a DM then . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members Rob H Posted July 10 Author New Members Share Posted July 10 4 hours ago, rocket said: @Rob H: could you post a clearer pic of the Keichou after cleaning with alcohol? I would assume it is a carved one like mentioned but some of them have bones in the same color than the stone and it might be a mix. But, only might be... My experience with the Keichous says..., 95% Carvosaurus, but who knows... thanks! Here is the best I could do. Hope it gives you some insight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBkansas Posted July 10 Share Posted July 10 I don't think there's a way to fix it. Whomever enhanced the bones with paint must have been using some impressive techniques to paint something so small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranzBernhard Posted July 10 Share Posted July 10 This is the ghost of a keicho! Franz Bernhard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members Rob H Posted July 10 Author New Members Share Posted July 10 I happen to have a microscope and have made a video of me moving through the fossil from head to tail. My (inexperienced) impression is that it is hardly a fossil as it was described. Looks to me to be an impression at best (and definitely painted). Untitled video - Made with Clipchamp (3).mp4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted July 10 Share Posted July 10 Seller description and cost removed as per Forum rules. ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members Rob H Posted July 10 Author New Members Share Posted July 10 My apologies. I neglected to add this to the video I posted: Comparing to my original post of pics, do you think this video indicates anything pointing to it being real and having absolutely no restoration or touch up? Is it worth having "repaired"? Thank you - Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FB003 Posted July 10 Share Posted July 10 Is the texture raised or does it go inwards/downwards? Tough to tell on my screen but I'm wondering if its the negative imprint. *Frank* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBkansas Posted July 10 Share Posted July 10 (edited) Looks like there are bones there but they were ground to hell and back (arms and legs are half gone) and painted over. It's clear there is something left after you removed the paint. Edited July 10 by JBkansas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members Rob H Posted July 10 Author New Members Share Posted July 10 56 minutes ago, FB003 said: Is the texture raised or does it go inwards/downwards? Tough to tell on my screen but I'm wondering if its the negative imprint. I agree it is difficult. As JBkansas stated, it is worn down a great deal. From my careful touch and the ability to examine with even greater magnification, I believe there is SOME bone, but also flat and negative areas. I suppose that indicates once some bone, but eroded out. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBkansas Posted July 10 Share Posted July 10 (edited) 1 hour ago, Rob H said: I suppose that indicates once some bone, but eroded out. This is common, even with larger and better (air abrasion) prepared specimens. Keich bones (esp fingers/toes) can be small and fragile. Edited July 10 by JBkansas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeon.rocks Posted July 11 Share Posted July 11 This was not air abraided, it was grinded and prepped with acid, then painted over. Because of grinding and acid bones look similar color to matrix. If you have the posibility, try air abrasion on the bones, maybe there is a slight chance to get a bit of original grey/black bone color contrast back, with the right abrasive; but I'm afraid it's destroyed/massacred beyond major repair. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted July 11 Share Posted July 11 From time to time I have wondered if some of these specimens could be salvaged, at least somewhat, by gluing the destroyed side to a solid support and then prepping from the other side. Perhaps by removing a lot of the covering matrix, then using proper air tools and maybe some judicious use of acid. Sort of like what is done with the Messel fossils, where the exposed side is embedded (and stabilized) in acrylic and then it's prepped from the back. It would be a lot of work of course, but for a potentially great specimen it might be worth it. Not so much if most of the bones have already been ground away. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBkansas Posted July 11 Share Posted July 11 10 minutes ago, FossilDAWG said: From time to time I have wondered if some of these specimens could be salvaged, at least somewhat, by gluing the destroyed side to a solid support and then prepping from the other side. Perhaps by removing a lot of the covering matrix, then using proper air tools and maybe some judicious use of acid. Sort of like what is done with the Messel fossils, where the exposed side is embedded (and stabilized) in acrylic and then it's prepped from the back. It would be a lot of work of course, but for a potentially great specimen it might be worth it. Not so much if most of the bones have already been ground away. Don Probably not worth it given the massive number of Keiches out there unless it is the holotype of a new species or has remarkable preservation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyhen Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 It's a badly acid prepped specimen of juvenile Keich. I am not sure if it's painted though (too much work for paint such a small specimen). For most matrix of Keich (the soft matrix), it's not water friendly, you wipe it with water (or alcohol), it will be wiped off. Only the hard matrix which locals called "hard plate" is water impermeable and you can literally soak it in water without damaging the fossil. For comparison, the top one is soft matrix, not water friendly. The bottom one is hard plate, "waterproof". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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