[meteorite-list] How To Collect Meteorites Part 2

From: almitt <almitt_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:07:02 2004
Message-ID: <3DB30BA4.3CD72169_at_kconline.com>

Hello again,

One thing I left out on the last (long message) is a thin section is also a good way
to go. (disclaimer: I sell thin sections and in no way am I promoting this here. There
are other good sources for these but they offer a good choice with good surface area
over very small costly specimens.) Many hard to obtain types are possible as well as a
cost effective way to own a wanted class.

I know many people collect in many different ways. I have heard of some only
collecting pallasites (stony-iron meteorites) and who can blame them for their beauty.
Are there some that collect only mesosiderites?? Some have micro collections. I myself
collect by class and always wanting as many classes as possible. My restrictions are
where there are only one or two examples of a class. Sometimes a related more
available class is sufficient to fill in the unobtainable gap. In the early days when
only Antarctic lunar meteorites existed and after the Calcalong was found, I seriously
doubted that I would ever be able to get my hands on a lunar class specimen. Not too
long after this list was formed came the beginning of the lunar meteorite rush (keep
in mind that there is low total weight on the lunites). I had even told a customer
that I wouldn't hold my breath on obtaining a lunar in this life time (glad I said it,
and one time I was very glad to be wrong in my assessment). A year or two later many
people on the list and in collections all over, the lunar classes became filled. With
the NWA and DAG's came many hard to obtain classes.

Though I aim to collect different class types, some like collecting only one type
class or related classes. Some that come to mind are aubrites, pallasites, lunars,
martians (SNC's), Vesta types (HED's, howardites, eucrites and diogentites) and
carbonaceous types. No doubt there are many more and some that never have crossed my
mind as a way to collect. Certainly the ordinary classes (and more readily available)
H's, L's and LL's are a nice class type to collect. Iron meteorites are certainly one
other way to collect and I am sure there are many nice iron collections. There are 13
different classes in the iron meteorite category and over 80 ungrouped. Irons would
represent a harder class to preserve in humid environments many of us live but with
proper care and carefully watching it can be done.

Some collect by state (or country!), wanting as many types from the various locations
in the state or country they are from or the state they live in (might not be the same
state they grew up in :-) State and country collecting can be challenging due to the
years that have gone by and total know weight. Specimens use to get eaten up in the
old days of examination and no doubt many misplace or lost. Some collect by Falls only
wanting meteorites that were seen to fall or were found after a fall was witnessed and
later recovered. I don't know anyone that specifically collects just by finds (not
seen to fall but found sometime after the event went un-witnessed to the information
out there) but I am sure there are some.

Nininger had an excellent two part book titled Shapes and Orientation and went into
great detail of the various types of shapes and Orientation of meteorites. No doubt
there are some trying to obtain as many interesting shapes and orientation as they can
but might not be the only criteria in such a collection.

I have heard of rare type collectors, only wanting the rarer classes for their
collections, obtaining as many different finds and falls as possible of various
classes. Again there are micro collections types that span a great deal of many
classes, types and no doubt allow for a more completed collection. Macro collections
are also similar with the specimens usually being a bit larger. Both fit nicely into
cases that can be displayed fairly easy and allow for collectors who display and
educate an easy method to transport their pieces to various locations. Again there are
some these days that are collecting mostly by thin sections and desire as many
representative types as possible but may be focused on location or some other
criteria.

There isn't really any right or wrong way to collect and I would be interested in
hearing from others on this subject. Keeping your collection pieces preserved and
intact are an important part of collecting. Sometimes for me this involves if I really
want to cut a specimen or not. I try to "do no damage" when ever possible. There are
many specimens that become more valuable when cut, either to take a piece that wasn't
so nice on the outside and display a great interior that has been hiding for billions
of years. Though we are the current owners, someday our pieces will be part of some
other collection of the future and we are simply the care takers for today, owning
pieces that have been around millions and billions of times longer than our meager
existence. It is the information they hold that makes them more than interesting or
they would just simply be another rock that fell from the sky. I believe it is this
passion and what they truly represent that makes them honored in our collections.

I am sure there are many gaps in my brain-storm messages here and will leave others to
fill in the gaps. Perhaps we can come up with a general list and put it together for
future collectors. Your turn!

--AL
Received on Sun 20 Oct 2002 04:01:40 PM PDT