The Unique Species Specimen Discussion Thread

[Halichoeres]

The model currently listed as Mesosaurus in the USL seems to actually be a Kaiyodo Tylosaurus, the one seen in Dan LoRusso's photo here: https://www.facebook.com/TheDinosaurStudio/photos/a.177835332367475.1073741837.166381366846205/183778921773116/?type=3&theater

I thought at least one of his pieces used to be on the USL, but I might be remembering wrong. Did he make a reclining Oxalaia, or was that someone else?

The reclining Oxalaia that's currently representing this genus in the USL is said to be "Guilherme Bilinski Art"...

Yep, that's the one I was thinking of. Wrong Brazilian artist 

[Chad]

Vitor's stuff is available but only produced on demand (and can be customized to whatever color/pose you want). You should all order something from him--the pieces are fantastic! I've been meaning to post pictures of my small collection of the ones I have, but I am very, very lazy.

[BlueKrono]

I thought at least one of his pieces used to be on the USL, but I might be remembering wrong. Did he make a reclining Oxalaia, or was that someone else?

I'm eyeing one or two of these, so if anybody in the States wants to do a joint order and save on shipping, get at me.

PM sent! 

[Chad]

I thought at least one of his pieces used to be on the USL, but I might be remembering wrong. Did he make a reclining Oxalaia, or was that someone else?

I'm eyeing one or two of these, so if anybody in the States wants to do a joint order and save on shipping, get at me.

I'd be interested. Is there a link to what they offer?

[Halichoeres]

I thought at least one of his pieces used to be on the USL, but I might be remembering wrong. Did he make a reclining Oxalaia, or was that someone else?

I'm eyeing one or two of these, so if anybody in the States wants to do a joint order and save on shipping, get at me.

I'd be interested. Is there a link to what they offer?

I'm not sure exactly what's for sale. I think, at a minimum, the ones in this flyer are available:
http://img14.deviantart.net/f7c2/i/2017/081/1/0/colecao_paleo_brasil___modelos_sob_encomenda__by_vitor_silva-d8d77ri.jpg

But his blog shows other sculptures:
http://vitorsilvapaleoartista.blogspot.com/p/lista-de-especies.html
(scroll down to 'esculturas') I'm not sure if he actually sells those, they could be one-offs. Anyway, I'll send you a PM.

[Roselaar]

Oh heck, more work in store for me... Can I get decent single figure pics of all those lovely specimens?

I'll delete Mesosaurus from the list. Kaiyodo is said to have made one (though I have never seen it), but now there's one more for sure, so off it goes.

[BlueKrono]

Oh heck, more work in store for me... Can I get decent single figure pics of all those lovely specimens?

I'll delete Mesosaurus from the list. Kaiyodo is said to have made one (though I have never seen it), but now there's one more for sure, so off it goes.

This is the list. You'll have to scroll down a ways to get to the species that he's actually made figures of. Each has numerous good photographs. His Protosphyraena is particularly wild!
http://vitorsilvapaleoartista.blogspot.com.br/p/lista-de-especies.html?m=1

[Sim]

Does anyone here know if all the models in that list are actually available as more than one-offs?  If not, I'd suggest the ones that affect the unique species specimen list should only be the ones known to be available as more than one-offs.  Maybe someone could ask the artist which ones are available as more than one copy?

[Sim]

I found this, which has information on Vitor Silva's models in English: http://vitor-silva.deviantart.com/journal/Paleo-Brazil-Collection-models-under-commissions-505903994

At the bottom of the image it says, "The sculptures are made individually, thus there will not be identical models."  It seems to me...  Vitor's models are actually one-offs with regards to the sculpture/model itself.  Additional models of a species are only produced if someone commisions them, meaning it's possible some species only have one model by Vitor in existence.  Even if additional models of a species are made, they wouldn't be identical models since each sculpture is made separately.

Should Vitor's models count for the unique species specimen list?  If my understanding of Vitor's models is correct as I described above, I would think the answer is no, if other commissioned one-off models wouldn't count.

[BlueKrono]

I would concur with that, Sim. If it's not from a mold then I would not count it at all, whether plastic or metal. Commissioned one-off pieces can be very neat-looking, but they are for a separate sect of collectors, much like fossil collectors, which by their very nature are all unique. I worry that this will mean Silva's pieces will be frightfully expensive...

[Takama]

I never knew his models were mass produced.

"EDIT" There not.   

[Roselaar]

Oh, thank God, they're not mass produced... I never intended this list for one-off models, only models that are (or were) generally available. It's pretty harsh for a collector to find out a model of his favorite obscure species exists but cannot be purchased, after all. Of course, you can debate on the level of availability, but models which are only produced once simply do not count by my book.

Which saves me a lot of work in this case.

That said, my question earlier this week still stands: are Collecta's Baculites, Diplomoceras, Australiceras and Parapuzosia unique species?

[Halichoeres]

Oh, thank God, they're not mass produced... I never intended this list for one-off models, only models that are (or were) generally available. It's pretty harsh for a collector to find out a model of his favorite obscure species exists but cannot be purchased, after all. Of course, you can debate on the level of availability, but models which are only produced once simply do not count by my book.

Which saves me a lot of work in this case.

That said, my question earlier this week still stands: are Collecta's Baculites, Diplomoceras, Australiceras and Parapuzosia unique species?

I'm almost certain they are, and I would say so is Leedsichthys, unless we're counting the FaunaCasts version that never got distributed.

[Sim]

I did a search in this thread for "mesosaurus", and it appears the report of a Kaiyodo Mesosaurus originates from Reply #123 by dinocat?: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=763.msg19202#msg19202

Since dinocat was last active two days ago, maybe they could give more information to help confirm whether this model actually exists or not?  This would be helpful as no-one else seems to know this model exists.

Was the photo that was used in the USL for the Kaiyodo Mesosaurus provided by dinocat to show that model?  If the answer is yes, I think that suggests a Kaiyodo Mesosaurus might not exist, since as I showed earlier the model in that photo appears to be a Kaiyodo Tylosaurus.

[Roselaar]

No, that photo is from Don Glut's collection. I think it was the only hit I got when searching for Kaiyodo Mesosaurus on Google and since there are some resemblances and I wasn't aware of a Kaiyodo Tylosaurus, I mistook the one for the other.

[Sim]

In that post by dinocat, there's a lot of models I had never heard of before.  There are photos for some, but for others I can't find any information or images e.g. the Askeptosaurus, Avimimus, Cymbospondylus, Mesosaurus.  I think the Kaiyodo Mesosaurus should probably be added to the USL again without the photo that was previously used, since Vitor Silva's models appear to be one-offs.

[BlueKrono]

I've emailed Vitor about his production methods and availability of his figures. Still waiting on a response. Hang tight.

[Sim]

I would concur with that, Sim. If it's not from a mold then I would not count it at all, whether plastic or metal. Commissioned one-off pieces can be very neat-looking, but they are for a separate sect of collectors, much like fossil collectors, which by their very nature are all unique. I worry that this will mean Silva's pieces will be frightfully expensive...

The link I posted earlier includes prices for figures by Vitor Silva...  Here's the link again: http://vitor-silva.deviantart.com/journal/Paleo-Brazil-Collection-models-under-commissions-505903994

[BlueKrono]

I would concur with that, Sim. If it's not from a mold then I would not count it at all, whether plastic or metal. Commissioned one-off pieces can be very neat-looking, but they are for a separate sect of collectors, much like fossil collectors, which by their very nature are all unique. I worry that this will mean Silva's pieces will be frightfully expensive...

The link I posted earlier includes prices for figures by Vitor Silva...  Here's the link again: http://vitor-silva.deviantart.com/journal/Paleo-Brazil-Collection-models-under-commissions-505903994

Got a response. He said each of his models is built up individually. None are made by casting, and indeed each one has slight variation. I'd say this disqualifies them from the USL, as it is essentially commissioning a paleoartist to make a model. He said none are immediately available but he can build things up upon receiving an order. He then sent me the same DA link you posted to refer to for prices. On his website the same diagram shows prices in Brazilian reales, but they convert to about USD$95-110, so a little less than the prices in the English version.

[Sim]

Thanks for that, BlueKrono!  I agree, I think Vitor Silva's models shouldn't count for the unique species specimen list as they are essentially one-offs.  Which means the Kaiyodo Mesosaurus should probably be added to the USL again.  I also agree with Halichoeres about adding the CollectA Leedsichthys unless the Fauna Casts version that currently appears to have not been distributed counts.