[meteorite-list] Tucson 2002

From: MARSROX_at_aol.com <MARSROX_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:54:04 2004
Message-ID: <133.93dac74.299aa147_at_aol.com>

I've just returned from six days in Tucson and will file this report for
those that weren't able to make it. I'll include some peripheral info.

Because I was hand-carrying a suitcase full of meteorites, I received special
attention at the FtMyers (Fla.), Chicago and Tucson airports both coming and
going. I was selected randomly again at the boarding gate in Chicago for a
second inspection. In Tucson both X-Ray machines kept malfunctioning and we
also had to remove our shoes for a sniff test. If they were looking for
"smelly" I'm a winner.

Weather was good 40*- 70*F. Very windy at times.

Attendance by dealers looked to be down 10%. Attendance over all down 25%. Of
course the show is the "Rock and Gem" show. I believe that more meteorite
"people" were there than ever.

If you want unclassified NWA's you came to the right place. All sizes and
grades from 100% crusted to apparent pieces of "mud." There were abundant
classified NWA's, too. Surprising to me, some types like eucrites and
howardites had relatively high "ask" prices. My friend Bruno wants $15K for
his low TKW nakhlite and its Mars' mantle water alteration. Some dealers
inventory was >50% NWA.

Dean Bessey, Marvin Kilgore, Jim Labenne and Mike Farmer tell me that the
NWA's "strewnfield" is about "fished out." Where the Bedouins were visiting
"collecting families" with rocks piled to the ceilings of their tents (?)
only shoebox size amounts are now available. If you want 'em, buy 'em now.
The strewfield of opportunity will be moving elsewhere.

Sculpted Gibeons and large or small Canyon Diablos are slim pickins' and
prices are higher. "Trophy" Campos are not to be found. "Named" meteorites
were far less abundant then the last 5 years. Prices for these are now
firming and I suspect (my opinion folks) that barring the end-of-the-world,
the meteorite market has bottomed.

Darryl's auction had notable successes and failures. Sienna (4.74gms.)
brought $2,016 (inc. 12.5% buyer's premium). Allende (160.8 gms, 50% crust)
brought $619. Williamette (9.55gm - no tribal protest on site, though a train
went by during it's auction) - $3375. No sale on 6.84 gm. D'Orbigny _at_
$230/gm, or Steinbach (93 gms.) _at_ $60. Chassigny (0.034gms) went out @
$24,800/gm. Perhaps someone will post a complete list........

Please remember that items at auctions can be pallasites that aren't
translucent, huge specimens that will bring far less per gram than little
ones, and many other variables that affect the price. The price that a
specimen brings at auction is only the price of that particular item, not
necessarily every one of its type.

Reports that people are digging through the boxes of NWA "mud" and finding
urelites and CR's are somewhat exaggerated. Some un-named individuals were
seen slicing anonymous NWA's in half declaring "it's either a urelite or
weathered granite."

The Birthday Boy's Steve and Geoff will have a tough time topping this year's
party. A large room was rented for the 75 attendees at La Fuente Mexican
restaurant complete with mariachi band playing rock. (Si, te amo "rock") To
top off the festivities the "First Annual Harvey Awards", (like in Nininger)
an NWA on a Lucite pedestal were awarded to:
- Mike Martinez for "contributing to bringing respect to the meteorite
community." Of course, his main "contribution" was wearing a hard hat
inscribed "Meteorite Recovery Team" that featured adjacent racks for liquor
bottles and flexible straws for easy drinking.
- Blaine Reed received "Congeniality" award for allowing every met dealer in
Tucson to make deals "commission free" in HIS room.
- Bob Haag "Lifetime Contribution" Award for the obvious. Bob being Bob, he
deferred his speech time to the celebrants Steve and Geoff.
- Dean Bessey accepted an award for the Canadian Government for their actions
in allowing Tagish Lake to sink to the bottom of a lake.

We also met Art, our list administrator. We're in excellent hands.

And thank-you-very-much but everyone can now stop barking every time they see
me.........

Kevin Kichinka
Received on Tue 12 Feb 2002 11:48:07 AM PST