eBay.co.uk Guides - Fake Fossils caveat emptor knowledge is power

Genuine Psittacosaurus meileyingenzi juvenile dinosaur prepared, articulated, mount engineered by triassica.com

Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est "knowledge is power"

In a collectibles field as wide ranging and extensive as that of palaeontology, it is essential that the collector be equipped with the knowledge to discriminate authentic from fake.
Knowledge is power – there is no shortcut to acquiring the necessary information required to prevent the collector from purchasing an expensive (albeit worthless) artefact.
Thorough investigation of the subject matter is critical prior to acquisition of any collectible, particularly in the field of antiquities and palaeontology.
Collector ignorance is key for those producing and supplying faked artefacts – frequently the work of artisans in unfortunate or impoverished circumstances, particularly Morocco, Thailand, China who may have come to rely upon the proceeds of their craft.
However more affluent regions are known to fetter worthless man made constructs – usually the burden of recrimination falls upon those fossil dealers who out of ignorance or deliberation, supply to an uniformed buying public.
Frequently the fake is readily identifiable but increasingly with improving techniques of construction, specimens of high credibility find their way to the collectibles market.
It is therefore IMPERATIVE that the prospective buyer be both informed and only purchase from reputable dealers (preferably preparators).
In contrast to dealers, preparators have first hand knowledge and experience of handling, working with and preparing a wide range of fossils – removing matrix from virgin fossilized material – consolidating the revealed fossils – and performing restoration as required.
Familiar with techniques employed by the artisans producing faked fossils, preparators readily examine, test and identify, features which may show evidence of artificial construction.
Here at Triassica.com, we have been dismayed to find fossils supplied by dealers described as having no repair, restoration or being genuine original pieces, when upon our acquisition for further preparatory work have found (sometimes) extensive repair, restoration – even to the point of compositing.
Compositing is heinous (if not declared) – being the manufacture of one whole fossil from two or more specimens – however it must be realised that some fossils (namely vertebrates) are virtually never excavated completely intact and therefore compositing is the only method by which (eg. Dinosaur skeletons) can be displayed whole.
It is common and necessary practice for instance, for museums to collaborate and share material amongst themselves to produce a complete dinosaur skeleton for museum display.
This is not deception, rather the only way by which the public may ever see the likes of a Tyrannosaurus rex in all its glory as most have been discovered less than 50% complete – even Sue (one of the most complete T. rex) discovered August 12 1990 is ony around 90% complete.
An earlier discovery (Stan) in Spring of 1987 is just 65% complete – the dilemma in producing a skeleton worthy of display is to either include suitable bones from other specimen(s) or recreate missing elements from materials such as high density foam, latex, plaster, resin etc.
The point being that certain fossils, never being discovered intact have to be composited, restored to be presentable (for display) unless required for scientific purposes.
In which case, declared compositing, restoration, reconstruction is bona fide and not relative to producing a faked construct.
It should be assumed therefore that all vertebrate fossils - reptilian (dinosaurs included) mammalian, amphibian etc presented as complete, intact to the collector for purchase, most assuredly will have restoration performed and possibly reconstruction/composition as a matter of fact.
Monetary devaluation of a fossil occurs immediately upon discovery that a specimen acquired as genuine, authentic, without restoration, composition is proven otherwise.
The collector needs to be aware of (in particular) fossil types which are commonly faked – these include (but not limited to) trilobites, fish, reptiles (Keichousaurs especially) dinosaur bones, teeth, claws.
High value fossils are particularly tempting for artisans especially rarities where the fossil beds are near to exhaustion.
It is known that artisans (Moroccan especially) share amongst themselves, elements of certain trilobite species in order to construct a whole specimen eg one may have a cephalon, another the thorax, another genal spines.
Skilfully the miscellaneous elements are matched upon a matrix, worked to uniformity, fractures filled and painted before being presented to a middle man who then sells to an export agent, selling on to a fossil dealer, who then supplies to an unsuspecting collector.
The chain of supply of course may be much greater, with any relevant details being lost as distance from initial artisan increases (doubtful however that the construction details are ever given).
One of the most commonly faked fossils is the highly popular Chinese Triassic aged reptile, Keichousaurus hui – sometimes very crudely made from moulds filled with resin, the ‘fossil’ then glued to either an artificial matrix or genuine matrix slate.
Missing elements of genuine fossil K. hui (frequently skulls, digits, terminal caudal vertebrae) may be carved into the matrix or simply painted on.
Artefacts of antiquity may be reproduced by deliberately breaking the matrix, gluing back with a white cement (to replicate naturally formed calcite mineral veining) – again compositing is quite usual with two specimens joined to create one whole K. hui.
The deception can be convincing and even fool experienced fossil dealers – it is vital that the collector never purchase specimens of K. hui direct from mainland China (responsible for manufacture of fakes) – dealers in UK, USA, Europe are a more reliable source.
Again however, generalist fossil dealers may not have the knowledge and experience gained by handling sufficient numbers of K. hui to guarantee authenticity in all respects – specialist preparators with a comprehensive working knowledge of the species should be referred to.
Other popular collectible fossils include dinosaur claws and teeth – one may think such may be more safely purchased as genuine, however unfortunately this is not necessarily the case.
Certain dinosaur species are prone to compositing, heavy restoration – of particular note are the brittle teeth of the huge Moroccan dinosaur Spinosaurus aegypticus.
Whilst there is not one complete skeleton anywhere worldwide for this species, teeth are frequently discovered and readily available for a dinosaur hungry market.
Permineralization is not as robust as (for instance) North American counterparts with the teeth virtually always excavated broken requiring repair – this in itself is not an issue, but with the brittle enamel and dentine often too broken for adequate repair, all too often one whole tooth is manufactured from two.
The joint is then usually filled with sand, impregnated with glue and presented as a genuine original example. Some very basic composition and repair is commonly seen with Spinosaur teeth 25% to 40% comprising glue and sand with tooth size being easily increased by artificially extending the root (often covered with matrix).
Moroccan artisans may create Spinosaur bones from camel bones (both extant and extinct) – even claws may be carved and shaped (including replication of blood grooves and nutrient pores) – with genuine Spinosaur claws attracting high prices, the profit to be made from carving mammalian bone can be considerable.
Again it is essential the collector source material only from qualified dealers, preferably preparators – here at Triassica.com we have the professional experience of a United Kingdom University degree qualified biologist – indispensable for determining genuine morphology of fossil specimens, beyond the superficial similarities that a piece may present with.
Thailand is another source for manufacture of dinosaur claws (albeit material from the region is not readily found for sale unless visiting the country) – mammalian bones being the source material for carving to form small ‘raptor’ claws with adjoining digit.
It should be appreciated that fossils considered beyond reproach for being genuine, may be included as prospective doubtless authenticity – particularly Russian trilobites – have you ever seen one less than perfect?
We cannot end this exploration into the world of ingenious recreation of fossils without covering the fabulous dinosaur and bird specimens produced by one of the worlds oldest and most prolific regions of replication – China.
Frequently offered for public sale – Chinese bird fossils are generally either composite or complete fakes and present with almost uniform appearance.
The bones of such may be simply painted onto the matrix, possibly having been initially carved to render 3d form or extant bird bones glued in place, then ‘aged’ (first being broken, damaged to be more convincing).
Often compositing produces the familiar stylized presentation, the matrix cracks and joints being filled with gesso.
Pterodactyls can be created using the basic fossil bird format, extending the wings and skull shape – selling for higher values than birds, why not make a pterodactyl instead of a less profitable bird?
A search of the internet reveals some amazing (even comic) if not ingenious examples of Chinese workmanship including a fossilized ‘rat’ made from a fish.
The recent National Geographic debacle however serves as a sobering example of spectacular craftsmanship whereby the prestigious publication and the reputation of scientists associated with the ‘dinobird’ was severely tarnished.
Convincing specimens of raptor dinosaurs occasionally find their way to market but unfortunately are (generally) little more than creative displays of a thin matrix with bones carved or placed to replicate the highly desired fossils.
The most prolific dinosaur genus available to collectors is that of the Psittacosaur herbivore.
Being the most numerous Asian dinosaur of its time and region, Psittacosaurs were highly populous, successful and social.
Large numbers have been excavated with the quantity and quality of these fossils being noteworthy for scientific study and collector purchase.
Many institutions, museums have at least one Psittacosaur displayed or archived and the collector market is well served.
The numbers discovered and quality of preservation means there is little to be gained from producing total faked specimens – indeed to fake a whole skeleton (free of matrix) would be pointless.
It should be realised that many Psittacosaurs for sale preserved upon a matrix bed, will have had some degree of bone repositioning or replacement – more usually it is a matter of articulating the bones correctly from their disarticulated displacement.
Being herbivores, Psittacosaurs did not have carnivorous teeth or claws (so prized by collectors) – hence there is no demand to artificially produce these – we can be confident that such preserved will be (for the most part) genuine, although it has been known for teeth to have been painted onto the matrix infill within the mouth.
Creating matrix free bones of the species is extraordinarily difficult (let alone the skull) and is virtually unheard of – more readily an incomplete or very damaged skull can be repaired using matrix to fill gaps or sometimes, filling with bone from another body part.
As with every other vertebrate fossil (as previously mentioned), it must be expected that compositing of the skeleton is unavoidable and necessary to present a complete whole specimen.
With a multitude of Psittacosaurs of varying development from baby to juvenile to adult, available for use as ‘spare parts’, whilst it is inevitable that specimens will present with composition of some degree, at least the component elements will be genuine fossilized Psittacosaur material.