faaarwest2k Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Hi, I would like to know about purchasing a genuine trilobite fossil. Recently I read this article about fake Moroccan fossils. Since then I found this trilobite fossil online which is claimed to be from Morocco. The website that is advertising it seems genuine and I have purchased several items (not fossils) from them which are good quatlity. But the mention of 'Morocco' gives me doubts. I sent a message to the business regarding this fossil and whether it was genuine. Here is the response I got: All fossils have been verified as genuine by museum experts. Please be aware that some fossils from Morocco, are composite fossils.The mosasaur jaws for instance are a composite, this is CLEARLY marked on ourwebsite as being a composite. The fossils are GENUINE but the matrix is not.Therefore it is not a 'Fake'. And there is very good scientific reason forthis being done! Let me first tell you some background into the Deposits of Morocco... Most fossils come from a sandy bed. Fossils extracted from this bed arefragile, and would never come in a hard matrix, they can crumble apart.But the fossils are found together but naturally the teeth and jaw sectionscome away. (This covers the sandy material, not the trilobites which have allincidentally been verified. ANYONE who works with restoring, preserving and prepping fossils, willunderstand the need to support fragile fossils. The Mosasaur Jaws for instancewould simply break up, fall apart and crumble without a hard base. As part ofthe preparing and preservation process, sand is mixed with a hardening liquidand the jaws reassembled AS THEY would have been naturally found. I am afraid this DOES NOT constitute a fake! A fake is a fossil which is notgenuine. EVERY fossils on our website is genuine and has been verified. What is your opinion and can anyone offer advice regarding this fossil and finding genuine trilobites? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmoceras Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Hi, I would not buy it myself, I think it looks fishy. If you are desprate for a trilobite such as this I would wait for one which has lots of detail, maybe has a counterpart, has inperfections (bits missing etc) and from a site which supplies you with lots of close up photos of the specimen. There is a bit of reconstruction on my two, both in the same place. Can you spot it? 1) 2) Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faaarwest2k Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 Thanks Kosmoceras, is there any other advice to add to this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squalicorax Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 This is not a trilobite i would even consider buying let alone looking at. It doesn't look good in my book. 1 My Flickr Page of My Collection: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79424101@N00/sets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faaarwest2k Posted June 2, 2013 Author Share Posted June 2, 2013 Anyone know a good source for genuine trilobites? I'm particularly interested in Cambrian specimens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axelorox Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Look to avoid buying Moroccan trilobites until you're more well-versed in identifying fakes or have sourced a dealer who is truly trustworthy (for example I have encountered dealers who encourage viewing specimens you want to buy with a UV light that they have on hand). American trilobites are usually genuine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelhead9 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Moroccan trilobites can be tough, but this one isn't...FAKE! Still Life Fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faaarwest2k Posted June 4, 2013 Author Share Posted June 4, 2013 Moroccan trilobites can be tough, but this one isn't...FAKE! What makes you say that steelhead9? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelhead9 Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 (edited) What makes you say that steelhead9?Complete lack of detail on the trilobite and the heavy, even chisel marks are pretty much dead giveaways. It is highly unlikely that an authentic trilobite would ever have chisel marks like this. I've been wrong before, but everything about this one just plain looks wrong. The response you received from the seller concerning fake matrix and real fossils does apply to many mosasaur pieces, but I am not aware of any trilobites that are found in sand matrix. Edited June 4, 2013 by steelhead9 Still Life Fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmoceras Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Complete lack of detail on the trilobite and the heavy, even chisel marks are pretty much dead giveaways. It is highly unlikely that an authentic trilobite would ever have chisel marks like this. I've been wrong before, but everything about this one just plain looks wrong. The response you received from the seller concerning fake matrix and real fossils does apply to many mosasaur pieces, but I am not aware of any trilobites that are found in sand matrix. I think your post might have caused confusion with the "isn't...FAKE" bit. People might have taken it as if you were saying it is not fake (real) while your intent was to say it is not hard to see it is a fake one. All the best, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Most of these Moroccan giant trilobites might have some percentage of original fossil material (they never come out of the ground intact), but the heavy 'restoration' results in something somewhere between real and faked. "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...
faaarwest2k Posted June 6, 2013 Author Share Posted June 6, 2013 Most of these Moroccan giant trilobites might have some percentage of original fossil material (they never come out of the ground intact), but the heavy 'restoration' results in something somewhere between real and faked. So therefore I should immediately assume this is fake because it is presented as a whole specimen? It would occur to me that if you were selling a genuine fossil that was reconstructed you should state that. Thank you all, I'm coming to the conclusion that this is fake and I should probably steer clear of their other fossils. But I must say, their other equipment items are good. As I said before, I have purchased some items and have been satisfied. It might be the case that the seller is unwittingly being scammed too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 I like UKGE very much. I think here it is a case of how one defines the word "fake". Lots of gray area... "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...
faaarwest2k Posted June 11, 2013 Author Share Posted June 11, 2013 I like UKGE very much. I think here it is a case of how one defines the word "fake". Lots of gray area... The fossil was either produced in the ground or produced in a workshop (fake). I understand that incomplete specimens can be reconstructed as a means to exhibit the whole structure, but to me that is not fake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Composite might be a better term for that kind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faaarwest2k Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 Composite might be a better term for that kind. If its been reconstructed then its been reconstructed. Why avoid the word? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 OK in this instance, yes.. I guess I was thinking you were referring to the Flexicalymene types that are assembled from parts of different individuals (poss. incl. some reconstruction), which is what I would call a composite. I agree that these Cambropallas trilos are reconstructed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelhead9 Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Composite is the term used for several parts of different animals used to create a whole specimen. Restoration is used to denote reconstructed parts that are missing, yet contain no fossil material. Repair means broken or cracked parts that are original to the specimen but have been fixed to their original condition. I guess you can call it whatever you want, but composite, repair, and restoration are the terms most commonly used and understood in the fossil world. Still Life Fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faaarwest2k Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 (edited) ah, thanks for clearing that up. Still, it seems to be a minefield out there when searching for genuine specimens. Edited June 18, 2013 by faaarwest2k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 It is a minefield unless you know what you're looking at and preferably in person rather than mediocre photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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