[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Riverside

Robert S Verish wrote:
> Missed the RTMC this past weekend.  The theme of the conference was "Rocks 
from Space"!  Anybody care to remark/report on the proceedings?
> Curious,
> Bob V.
Dear Bob & other list members,
	I spent the weekend at RTMC in Big Bear with a friend of mine who sells
minerals. I took almost nothing to sell - I enjoy visiting several
friends who show up. I did not see any talks on the list that drug me in
for any of the speakers.
	Several meteorite dealers were set up. Mike Pimentel (Direct Line
Resources - who sells mostly sliced & etched Gibeon), Jerry Armstrong,
the now world renowned painter of meteor entry scenes and various solar
system phenomena (a black & white copy of his work depicting Vesta was
on the previous cover of Meteorite! magazine) He had a couple of
paintings left (I had purchased 2 BEFORE he reached RTMC) and one of
those was already sold - a depiction of the Sikhote-Alin fall as seen
from a distance - I got one as seen at "ground zero" that I consider TOO
FABULOUS!) He also sold the 2nd painting while there to Mike Pimento.
Marvin Kilgore showed up for the Saturday "Swap Meet" only, but most of
the meteorite folks gathered for a pot luck to which he & Kitty brought
some terrifically tasty and surprisingly tender Elk they had hunted
during the proper season near their home in Arizona. Mike Martinez was
there from Washington with an interesting selection of specimens as well
as some Star Trek memorabilia, but, alas, no photo of "7 of 9." Eugene
and Sharon Cisnaros had a very interesting selection of fulgurites,
books on meteoritics & a nice little selection of specimens - of
particular merit were their exceptional Henbury, one of which I had to
get for my own collection. Paul Harris and Jim Tobin (proprietors of the
Meteorite Exchange web site & now owners of the gigantic Darryl Futrell
tektite collection) were visiting all weekend and had strong sales at
the Saturday "swap meet" of many of their tektites.
	At 4pm on Sat. the hard core meteorite collectors gathered in a picnic
area behind the lecture hall as arranged by Peter Abrhams, who brought
some beautiful posters from the early part of the century advertising
"Meteor Oranges," "Orbit Lemons," "Comet Oranges," etc. - all of which
sold, though prices were AT LEAST double what he had them for last year.
He also had a few meteorite specimens & this is one part of the weekend
I would enjoy seeing expanded to more "show & tell" and offers from
collectors who have "upgraded" their collections. Paul and Jim had some
thin slices of tektites, including one which was a section from a
flanged button, showing the swirling of the glass as it formed the
flange - spectacular stuff. 
	RTMC runs Fri. through Sun of every Memorial Day weekend in Big Bear,
California, not far from Riverside, about 100 miles north of San Diego
and 50 miles (?) east of L.A. It is quickly becoming one of THE best
places to see and purchase meteorites on the west coast & I guess I will
have to start carting my own stock up there instead of just enjoying the
pleasantries of a "slow" weekend & the opportunity to be with friends in
BEAUTIFUL surroundings.
	Best wishes, Michael