About us
I am Peter Hohenstein and, together with my wife Krista, have been running our specialist fossil store for more than 30 years. We specialize in the recovery, preparation and sale of Lower Devonian fossils from the Hunsrück shales of Bundenbach.
Hohensteiniella engeli
Lepidocoleus hohensteini
Hunsrueckochaeta hohensteini
What we can do
We work exclusively with Bundenbach fossils.
All fossils are prepared and identified by us.
Fossils purchased from older collections are carefully prepared if necessary.
You can therefore expect enormous experience, the best possible preparation and competent professional advice from us.
The quality of our exhibits therefore always attracts attention.
We are constantly refining our preparation methods and can thus make even the most delicate structures visible. This has often led to commissioned preparations for museums and institutes.
We always offer extremely rare and newly discovered species first to the Rhineland-Palatinate state collection responsible for the site at the Natural History Museum in Mainz.
Our trusting collaboration with the scientific community and our aspiration to always give our best have now been recognized by the awarding of two honorary mentions (the machaerid Lepidocoleus hohensteini, 2009, and the bristle worm Hunsrückochaeta hohensteini, 2009) and a naming (Hohensteiniella engeli, 2016, a new shrimp-like crustacean). – We are very grateful for this and, of course, a little proud…
How we work
Almost all unprepared slabs are x-rayed first. This makes it much easier to expose the fossils in a targeted and gentle manner.
If fossils have been cut through during shale splitting (…during recovery), X-rays are often taken before and after gluing.
If available, you can purchase this X-ray documentation with the purchase of a fossil, it is then already included in the purchase price.
Any necessary bonding is carried out precisely and inconspicuously.
We use scrapers and differently shaped scalpels for pre-preparation.
A precision sandblast unit is used for the fine work, with which the fossil fine structure is carefully and patiently exposed. Here it is particularly important to precisely adjust the blasting media used, the mixing ratio of which has a significant influence on the quality of the preparation.
What we offer
- Lower Devonian Hunsrück slate fossils from Bundenbach in about 40 species:
The offer ranges from beautiful specimens for the beginner or cross-section collector to extraordinary exhibits in museum quality. - Commissioned preparations for private collectors, museums and institutes
- Fossil identification
- Valuation and purchase of collections (Bundenbach only)
- Collector advice and preparation assistance