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Images and Fossil Preparation by The Wobbly Fossiler (UK)

FOSSIL PREPARATION SERVICES DIRECTORY

UK & EUROPE

Do you have fossils that require cleaning? Look no further! Here's our business directory of professional fossil preparation services worldwide. Many of these professional fossil preppers are using state-of-the-art ZOIC PalaeoTech fossil preparation tools and equipment. People who offer a fossil cleaning service are known as fossil preparators, preparers or preppers. 


Different fossil preparators specialise in different fossils and techniques. We recommend first looking through them by location or rock/fossil type, which will guide you to what they are most experienced in. Some of the more experienced preparators will be able to tackle fossils from any locality - so if you like what you see, get in touch with them and ask for a quote. However, by choosing somebody who specialises in a certain type of fossil, geology or location, you know that their equipment will have been built up around these fossils and they will have significant experience in dealing with the challenges that those particular fossils present. The job will likely be done better and more quickly by somebody with expertise in a certain field.


If you are a professional fossil preparator would like to register an application for a FREE business listing on this page please fill out the application form here.


GREAT BRITAIN

Jurassic Coast (Dorset, Devon & Southwest England)

The Wobbly Fossiler, Axminster, Devon, UK


About: James is an experienced preparator, using pneumatic scribes and air abrasive techniques to uncover finds from his local area of the Jurassic Coast in England. He is known for his delicate work and attention to detail. A few examples of James’ work are displayed below. If you’d like to see more of James’ work, you can follow his account on Instagram (@the_wobbly_fossiler). To get a quote for preparation work, please contact James with pictures of your find. Thank you!

Specialises in: Ammonites from Lyme Regis and Charmouth, death-bed assemblages, ammonite/stone restoration, Jurassic Coast fossils (Dorset), bringing the best out of every fossil (no matter what it looks like to begin with!)

  • Air Scribe Work

  • Air Abrasive Work

  • Restoration

Martin Curtis, Milborne St Andrew , Dorset, UK


About: Born in Dorset, Martin Curtis has been working on the Jurassic Coast as a professional guide for over 10 years and has been collecting fossils on and off from the age of 3 as a hobby. Fossil preparation is a new addition to his skill set and he is now specialising in Green Ammonite nodule preparation. Martin prepares fossils to a very high standard using his previous skills working with stone as a bricklayer and fillers as a vehicle refinisher to beautifully sculpted pieces, naturally framing their beauty.

Specialises in: Green Ammonite Nodules from Stonebarrow, Charmouth; Popcorn Stone from Stonebarrow, Charmouth; Belemnite and Echioceras Stone from Charmouth; Marine Reptile Bone from Charmouth; Air abrasive and Paraloid treatment of Pyrite Ammonites from Charmouth and Lyme Regis

  • Air Scribe Work

  • Air Abrasive Work

  • Pyrite Preservation
martin curtis fossil collection preparation zoic tools fossils

Natural Selection Fossils, Axminster, Devon, UK


About: Craig Chivers has been a professional artist, fossil preparator and fossil collector since 2003, specialising in marine reptile fossil preparation. Craig prepares fossils to a high standard, creating centre pieces that show their stunning natural beauty to its fullest potential. 

Specialises in: Marine Reptiles and Ammonites from the Jurassic Coast, Somerset Coast, Welsh Coast and Germany. Also other fossils from the rest of the world.

  • Air Scribe Work

  • Air Abrasive Work

  • Restoration

  • Casting/Replication

  • Skeleton Mounting

Jurassic Ammonites, near Axminster, Devon, UK


About: Paul Davis has over 40 years of experience preparing fossils from around the world from giant sauropod dinosaurs to microscopic single celled organisms. He has worked in many of the top museums and universities and has been at the forefront of developing new techniques and equipment for fossil preparation and conservation. He only uses the best tools and equipment available and only uses museum grade materials in his preparation, restoration and conservation.

Specialises in: Experience with all types of specimens from around the world. Specialises in mechanical, air abrasive and acid preparation techniques as well as pyrite stabilisation and fossil conservation. Extensive expertise in Dorset Jurassic Coast specimens (particularly ammonite and vertebrate specimens).

  • Air Scribe Work

  • Air Abrasive Work

  • Cutting & Polishing

  • Restoration

  • Acid Preparation

  • Pyrite Conservation


Midlands, England

Stone Treasures, Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire


About: Stone Treasures is a long-established business family run business with 3 generations working in our shop and workshop based in Sherwood Forest Craft Centre, Edwinstowe Nottinghamshire. The senior fossil preparer, Mark Hawkes, has 34 years experience and Brandon Hawkes has 5 years. Over the years we have built up a good reputation for excellent preparation of fossils which includes; ammonites, nautiloids, bone specimens, fish fossils as well as multi-blocks. We have an extensive workshop which allows us to polish fossils to a high standard, as well as cut bases and backs which are trimmed down on our large table saw. We also tackle some microscope fossil cleaning for very delicate work, and for smaller pieces acid cleaning work. Our equipment includes: 

  • Air Scribe Work

  • Air Abrasive Work

  • Cutting & Polishing (13" and 18" rock saws - water fed angle grinder for bigger pieces)

  • Restoration

  • Acid Preparation

  • Grinding Work

Unit 4

Sherwood Forest Craft Centre,

Forest Corner

Edwinstowe

Notts

NG21 9LP

Email: stone.treasures@hotmail.com

Phone: +44 07739983944


Phone: +44 01623 824976


Yorkshire & Holderness Coast, Northeast England

Mark Kemp - The Yorkshire Fossil Hunter, Hull, England


About: I have collected and prepped Yorkshire and Holderness coast material for 5 years now so have experience in preparing a huge array of fossils especially coming of the Holderness coast as they are all glacial erratics so the matrix is so variable. I have also collected and prepared fossils from various parts of the UK with great success including Dorset, Scunthorpe and Somerset and Wales. I would say I specialise in Ammonites with particular emphasis on the matrix which in turn makes the fossil look amazing on display.

Specialises in: Holderness Coast material, Yorkshire Coast Material, Air abrasion & Air Scribe work, Cutting & Polishing, Shaping matrix for fantastic display pieces.

  • Air Scribe Work

  • Air Abrasive Work

  • Cutting & Polishing

  • Restoration

Emanya Fossil Preparation and Conservation, Sheffield, Yorkshire, UK


About: Originally from Namibia, Alison trained in fossil preparation at Iziko South African Museum preparing vertebrate fossils from the Karoo Basin. She has continued working on vertebrate fossils preparing largely Devonian age fish with precision work preserving the teeth and delicate ornamentation. Alison prepares fossils to a museum standard, with many of the prepared specimens being intended for scientific descriptions or museum display.

Specialises in: Vertebrate fossils, Museum grade precision preparation, Microscope work

  • Air Scribe Work

  • Restoration

  • Pyrite Conservation

Natural Wonders, Whitby, Yorkshire, UK


About: We are a local business, with 22 years of expertise in selling and preparing fossils from around the world. We specialise in North Yorkshire material, but have experience with many other localities/species/matrix types.

Specialises in: Yorkshire Fossils, Ammonites, Marine Reptile Bone, Pyrite Cannonballs, Cutting & Polishing

  • Air Scribe Work

  • Air Abrasive Work

  • Cutting & Polishing

Email: fossilsuk@fossils-uk.com

Phone: +44 07565847931

Website:

www.fossils-uk.com

GERMANY

Freitag Fossils, Rostock, Germany


About: Not the search and discovery in the open field, but the detailed work in the workshop, while looking through a binocular microscope became my passion. Trilobites always fascinated me especially and became my main field of expertise. What started in my parents garage, with the simplest of tools, developed step by step and today I am happy to offer and present my preparation work to likeminded people with a passion and love for fossils, just like me.

Specialises in:

1. Trilobites

2. Fine air abrasive technique

3. Delicate shale fossils, e.g. Chengjiang-Fauna

4. Invertebrate fossils

5. Restoration and Revision

  • Air Scribe Work

  • Air Abrasive Work

  • Restoration

SPAIN

Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (ICP), Barcelona, Spain


About: The ICP Preparation and Conservation Lab has been working in preparing Permian, Triassic, Cretaceous, Miocene, Pliocene and Pleistocene vertebrate fossils from several sites for more than 20 years. The four lab team members are specially trained in heritage conservation and restoration applied to palaeontology. Our 90 m2 lab is specifically designed to carry out paleontological preparation tasks and is equipped with the appropriate facilities (ultrasound equipment, dust and gas extraction hood, vacuum cleaner, stereomicroscopes with cold light equipment, etc.).

Specialises in:  Vertebrates from Vallès-Penedès Basin, Middle/Late Miocene; Dinosaur Eggs from Pinyes locality (Pyrenees), Upper Cretaceous; Vertebrates from La Mora (Barcelona), Middle Triassic; Vertebrates from Torrent de na Nadala (Mallorca), Lower Permian.

  • Air Scribe Work

  • Air Abrasive Work

  • Restoration

  • Chemical Preparation

  • Casting/Replication

  • Skeleton Mounting

  • Thin Section Preparation

  • Paleoart

Email: xenia.aymerich@icp.cat

Phone: +34 93 586 87 65

NITE, Palma de Mallorca, Spain


About: José Juárez has been passionate about collecting ammonites since he was a child. He enjoys taking on new preparation challenges.

Specialises in:  Focusses his preparations mostly on ammonites, commonly heteromorphs. He prepares them from many fossil sites around the world.

  • Air Scribe Work

  • Restoration

  • Cutting and Polishing

  • Chemical Preparation

Email: nite1988@hotmail.com

Phone: (+34) 608717314


Website Coming Soon

ITALY

Cinzia Ragni, Novara, Italy


About: I’m Cinzia Ragni. I have an Master's degree in Environmental Science with a Palaeontology thesis, which led to a scientific publication. I have a private laboratory where I prepare mainly vertebrates on sedimentary slabs but also nodules and unconsolidated sediments and invertebrates. I use a pneumatic air scribe, sandblaster and steel needles. I learned to prepare fossils at the Natural History Museum in Milan and I worked as preparator and fossils field researcher for the Museo Cantonale di Storia Naturale of Lugano. Now I’m starting collaboration with Geocollection company to enhance my skills, to gain a working learning experience, to improve my tools and to increase collaborations with universities and museums.

Specialises in: Fishes of Wyoming France and Switzerland, 3D reptiles from Morocco, Reptiles from Madagascar, Fishes and Crustaceans from Lebanon, Ammonites from Madagascar and other locations

  • Air Scribe Work

  • Air Abrasive Work

  • Restoration

  • Casting/Replication

Email: cinziaragni93@gmail.com

Phone: (+39) 338-1928476

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT HAVING YOUR FOSSILS CLEANED

What do I need to know about getting my fossils professionally cleaned?

  • Not all fossils can be cleaned. A preparator who knows the local rocks/fossils will be able to tell if you if a job is possible, and how promising the results may be.

  • Fossil preparators have their own unique styles. Please check their photographs and links to be sure that you like the way that they approach their prep. 

  • Not all preparators specialise in the same fossils or localities. You will likely get a better job done at a better rate if you go to somebody who is fully geared up for a certain type of fossil from a certain place, and has the experience required.

  • Fossil preparators may have a waitlist for their services, please respect this. 

  • Please do not email these preparators asking for fossil/rock identification – there are many sites including forums and Facebook groups specifically geared up to help people with identification. Please only contact them if you are interested in getting a fossil preparation quote. It's OK if you don't have an ID on your fossil, but please don't waste their time if you have no intention of using their services.

  • The presence of an advert on www.zoicpalaeotech.com is not an endorsement from ZOIC PalaeoTech for a particular preparator – simply a place for preparators to advertise should they wish to. If you choose to get work done by one of the listed preparators, ZOIC PalaeoTech are not liable or culpable if you are not happy with the results. ZOIC PalaeoTech have not verified their equipment and quality of preparation for the below listings, so please do your research when selecting a preparator.

What does professional fossil preparation cost?

This entirely depends on the fossil you present to them - some fossils are quick, easy jobs, and others are much more involved and time consuming. 


Fossil preparators typically charge by the hour and this amount varies based on location and skill level. Their experience is what you are paying for - anyone can take a hammer and a chisel to a rock, but fossil preparators have years of experience under their belt. They have a curated and expansive selection of tooling which they use with expertise. Specialist equipment and consumables don't come cheaply, and you have to know how to use them. If you like what you see from their work, we suggest approaching them for a no-obligation quote.


Please bear in mind that a quote is just an estimate; not a final guaranteed price. No fossil or preservation is the same, and some challenges present themselves quite late on into prep. If your preparator has reason to believe that the job will take longer or be more complex than originally anticipated (often this can only be established once prep has begun), they will contact you and let you know of any additional charges to let you to choose whether to proceed.

How to contact a professional fossil preparator to get a quote

There are a few things that a fossil preparator will need from you in order to provide you with a quote for fossil cleaning. It is usually easier for them if you email, but they may wish to follow up with a phone call.


  • Good quality photographs of the fossil(s) taken in natural light (back, front and sides)

  • Please include a scale bar or ruler in all of your pictures

  • Provide as much information as you can, e.g. Locality, rock type, horizon (if known), preservational quality, potential problems or difficulties in prep

  • A brief description of what you would like to see done. 

  • Approximate weight of fossil(s) - useful for postage/courier shipping if not able to drop off/collect in person.