Condition
How can you spot restoration or a composite fossil tooth?
Look for straight or continuous seams, changes in gloss, colour or grain, and transitions that do not follow natural structure. Separate stabilisation, filling, restoration and composite construction. The most important requirement is clear, understandable disclosure of the intervention.
Four terms with different meanings
Stabilisation strengthens fragile original material. Filling replaces a loss. Restoration returns form or appearance. A composite joins separate pieces into one display object. Ask which work was done and how much visible material is not original.
Inspect surface and seams under changing light
A difference in gloss, porosity or colour may reveal a repair. A ring around the base may indicate an attached root. These are prompts for closer investigation, not automatic proof about authenticity.
The description should complete the photograph
Useful product information names the position and extent of an intervention. Ask for close views and, for higher-value pieces, details of the materials used. A transparently restored fossil can still be a worthwhile collector object.
Practical checklist
- Ask directly about adhesive, filler and coatings.
- Check gloss and texture at the base and breaks.
- Establish whether root and matrix belong with the crown.
- Ask how much visible form has been rebuilt.
- Keep the condition description with the purchase record.
What this guide cannot prove
Lighting, white balance, dust and compression can resemble a seam or hide one in photographs. A confident conclusion may require examination by a preparator or conservator.