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LARGE THARSIS FISH ON LITHOGRAPHIC LIMESTONE SLAB Solnhofen Plattenkalk Formation - Painten near Regensburg (Kimmeridge), Germany JURASSIC PERIOD: 160 million years ago WARNING: We have noticed an increasing occurrence of heavily restored and painted examples in the marketplace of various types of German lithographic limestone fossils. Similar to the plethora of fossil fish from Lebanon, the fins, teeth and other detail are painted on with the finest of skill but this is done over a sculpted surface to give the impression of a genuine feature. If the price seems too good to be true, then that should be the first and most obvious 'red flag'. The highest grade GENUINE fossils are rare and have high worldwide intrinsic value. There are no 'bargains'. While fossils from this region can exhibit the finest possible preservation of any site in the world, they are extremely rare and occur with less frequency compared to most other fossil-bearing formations. Famous for producing an astonishing diversity of rare and most intricately preserved fossils found anywhere in the world, the Jurassic lithographic limestone deposits of southern Germany are legendary. Specimens of the Solnhofen Plattenkalk limestone in Painten rival their counterparts from Eichstatt and Solnhofen in quality of preservation and all are considered amongst the world's finest and rarest fossil deposits. The layers of Painten are older than the layers of Solnhofen and fossils from Painten have a darker and more contrasting appearance than Solnhofen. Much research is still ongoing in Painten and new species have been uncovered in a variety of extinct life forms. Specimens from Painten are RARE and should be at the top of the 'must have' list for all advanced collectors of the most uncommon and highest grade fossils possible. This specimen offers the finest attributes of preservation, articulation and color of the fish species Tharsis dubius. While lesser priced specimens can be found in the market, few if any will ever approach the state of preservation and detail that this beautiful example possesses. Typical for Painten lithographic limestone fossils, this Tharsis offers stunning dark gold contrast of the fossil with respect to the bright cream limestone matrix in which it is preserved on. It is important to first emphasize that ALL the detail you see across the entire fish IS GENUINE unlike the plethora of fish fossils from the United States (Green River) and Lebanon where much of the "fossil" is painted on the rock by skilled artisans. Most noteworthy is the overall heavy mineralization of the body parts including tail, fins, scales and a complete head! You could not ask for a nicer example of this species - AND MORE RARE FOR ITS PROVENANCE FROM PAINTEN! Examine the close-up images. Every rib and vertebral spine is fully articulated, still attached to the stunningly well-preserved spinal column. The close-up images show the finest possible state with zero fabrication to any part. As a matter of fact, this specimen is without any painting or fabrication of any kind. There exists only minor repair to a limited area of the body where a fracture was sustained during excavation, almost always unavoidable in specimens from this region due to the nature of discovery and extraction. This specimen's exceptional detail can be attributed to the meticulous MANUAL HAND PREPARATION in the manner that museum fossils were prepared a hundred years ago. Since no air abrasives or blasters were used, the entire surface of the surrounding limestone is in a beautiful and very natural state - aesthetic beyond measure! The original limestone slab has been reinforced on the back with another slab from the same region for an overall thickness that is substantial affording not only excellent protection against breakage, but also creating a highly impressive aesthetic to the piece. Some of the largest dinosaurs that ever walked the earth were in existence when Tharsis swam in the ancient seas alongside massive plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs! This extremely aesthetic prehistoric fish fossil comes with our highest recommendation and will surely prove to be a specimen that will be treasured and enjoyed for years to come. Numerous features make this a prize display fossil, worthy of any discriminating collection, either public or private. LARGE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE WITH SUPERB AESTHETICS IN ALL RESPECTS! 11.75" in length x 9" high overall with fish 7.7" long SOLD FG005 INCLUDES STAND Actual Item - One Only |
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