Specimen Preparation: Shark Teeth Curio 🦈🪨

I created this curio from a small collection of fossilised shark teeth, that I received as a Secret Santa gift from my friend. I combined them with a naturally shaped rock, and black iron beads, all curated into a glass jar to highlight their textures and natural history appeal. This piece reflects my interest in marine specimens and the way simple finds can be elevated through thoughtful presentation.

🧰 Materials and Equipment:

• 🦈 Fossilsed hark teeth (Secret Santa gift)

• 🪨 Rock specimen (from my rock collection I curated over the years from the beach)

• ⚫ Black iron bead base

• 🫙 Glass jar with cork stopper

• 🧼 Soap and water cleaning solutions

• 🪥 Brushes and cleaning tools

• 🧻 Paper towels (for drying after rinsing)

• ⏳ Drying time: overnight for best results

⚙️ Preparation Process:

• 🫧 Initial Cleaning – Gently washed shark teeth and rock with soap and water to remove debris

• 🪥 Detailed Preparation – Brushed teeth fragments to highlight enamel textures

• 🧪 Drying & Sorting – Allowed specimens to air-dry fully

• 🫙 Assembly & Curation – Arranged rock as central feature with shark teeth surrounding it on a black bead base for contrast

Black iron beads, fossilised shark teeth, and rock - 11/08/2021

Key Skills Developed:

• 🖼️ Curatorial and Display Skills – Marine specimen presentation highlighting natural features of shark teeth and rock and spatial balance – Creating contrast with black sand to enhance visibility.

• 🫙 Preservation and Collections Management – Multi-material care preserving both fossilised teeth and stone and preventing deterioration and ensuring no moisture remained to avoid mould growth.

• 🏛️ Museum-Related Skills – Fossil awareness considering how marine specimens are displayed in natural history collections. As well as micro-display insight – Working with very small specimens within confined display space.

• 🎨 Transferable Skills – Careful handling of fragile teeth with sorting and arranging small-scale finds methodically. As well as creative presentation, designing a visually balanced and scientifically informed curio.

This curio demonstrates how even small-scale finds can be elevated into engaging display pieces. By combining natural textures and careful arrangement, I transformed simple fragments into a coherent marine-inspired curatorial work.

💀 See more on my Instagram: @BonesByShannon 🪲

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✨ Learn more about my work and aspirations here: My Portfolio