[meteorite-list] NP Article, 12-1971 Ralph N. Buckstaff's Meteorite Collection

From: MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:10:11 2004
Message-ID: <BAY4-DAV90J47OkszbN00005442_at_hotmail.com>

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Title: Oshkosh Northwestern=20
City: Oshkosh, Wisconsin=20
Date: Wednesday, December 22, 1971


     "Oh, I'd like one of those!"
     Ralph N. Buckstaff's eye's sparked and he grinned broadly at the =
thought of having a moon rock in the Buckstaff collection at the Oshkosh =
Public Museum.
     Buckstaff's meteorite collection on display on the third floro at =
the museum was recently given to the museum as a permanent gift, =
although the Oshkosh collector's meteorites have been on loan to the =
museum for about 15 years.
     Records supplied by John Kuong, museum director, show that the =
Buckstaff collection - one of the finest private collections in the =
United States - now contains 279 specimens of meteorites from 130 falls =
throughout the world.
     The rocks weigh a total of 261 pounds, 9 ounces. There are so many =
that only a few can be displayed at the present time in four lighted =
cases. The rest are stored below in locked cabinets.
     The most recent additions to the colelction are a thinly-sliced =
slab and a large chunk from the 1968 Allende (Mexico) fall. (The =
geographic location determines the name of the fall.) After the Allende =
Fall, chunks of meteorite were found over a 20-mile area, Kuony noted.
     "I've been collecting meteorites for a least 40 years. I saw some =
of the larger collections and got interested in them that way," =
Buckstaff recalled. Eventually, his collection got to the point where =
he could trade with other museums.
     "If you are fortunate to get the first fall of a meteorite you can =
trade with others. If you get the corner on a new fall you can enlarge =
your collection. We got the corner on two falls - one in North Dakota - =
and one in northern Wisconsin - and got quite a bit of trading material. =
 Sometimes a newspaper article will clue you in on a new fall." the =
collector commented.
     According to Buckstaff, his collection is now to the point "where =
it is hard to keep track of the number of specimens. They are not all =
on display because theere is not enough room. Some day, I want to get =
them all out on display."
     Retired president of the Buckstaff Co., the collector has been a =
member of the museum board since 1924 andis now considered its =
"president emeritus," according to Kuony.
     "The smaller a meteorite is the more valuable it is." Buckstaff =
explained. He said that once a person knows something about meteorites =
"it is easy to determine if a rock is a meteorite or not - unless it is =
a new type of meteorite.
     "An entirely new type fell at Cumberland Falls, Ky. - it was seen =
to fall, a daylight meteorite - and we have speciemsn of that here. =
Instead of a black crust, it has a transparent, yellow crust (almost =
whilte in place) and contains no iron."
      Because of his fame as a collector and meteorite expert, people =
constantly bring rock samples to the Buckstaff home, 2119 N. Main St., =
to see if they are pieces of meteorites.
      "Usually, they think the rocks are meteorites, but they are not. =
It is hard to tell if you don't know anything about meteorites. I have =
a piece of rock at home now that someone brought over. I looked at it =
with a magnifying glass but it has no structure at all," Buckstaff =
commented.
     The Buckstaff collection is considered to be the major one in the =
Midwest outside of the collection at the Field Museum of Natural History =
in Chicago. Other major collectors include the American Museum of =
Natural History in New York, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington =
D. C. and the University of Arizona.
      Buckstaff said he has not yet seen a final written analysis on =
what the moon rocks brought back by United States astronauts contain - =
but he sure would like to have one in his collection. "They are not =
weathered. They are unlike anything we have here," he noted.
      Meteorites are fragments of stone or iron that reach the earth =
after traveling through space. Until they hit the ground they are =
called meteors. They enter the atmosphere at a speed of about 25 miles =
per second, according to museum information.
      Friction with the air makes the meteors hot enough to glow and =
then burn. They become visible about 100 miles above the earth, but =
only a few are large enough to each the earth. A fall of meteorites is =
usually accompanied by light and sound.
      The Buckstaff collection contains samples of the four most basic =
types of meteorites; stony, iron, iron-stone, and tektites.
     Stony meteorites; the most common, have small amounts of iron and =
nickle and show a granular structure. They may usually be distinguished =
from oridinary stones by their black or brownish crust and thumb marks =
on their surfaces. Stratifaction is never present and they are somewhat =
heavier than other stones.
      Iron meteorites - the oldest sample on display is from a 1793 fall =
at Cape of Good Hope, South Africa - are composed largely of iron and =
some nickle, plus traces of cobalt, copper, sulphur and other elements. =
The Buckstaff display includes samples from a fall in Saxeville, =
Waushara County.
      Iron-Stone meteorites combine metal and stone, with the metal =
content much larger than in stony meteorites, forming a spongelike =
structure. The cavifies are filled with silicates.
     There are two theories on tektites: one, that they solidified drops =
of molten glass that splashed earthward from the moon when it was struck =
by a very large meteor; two, that they were spalshed from the earth into =
space by a huge explosion and acquired their shape upon re-entry.
     Tektites are glassy smooth, usually black, and found only in a few =
localities on earth.
      The Buckstaff collection has meteorites from falls throughout the =
world, including seven meteorites of prime historical importance. Among =
them is the Ider Fall, oldest fallen United States meteorite known =
(located on Sand Mountain, northeastern Alabama), believed to be more =
than 200 million years old.
     Another sample is from the Richardton, N.D. Fall which helped to =
establish the age of the universe. This fall was formed 4,600,000.000 =
years ago at the birth of the solar system. The sample contains a small =
amount of the rare radioactive gas, Xenon 129.
     The Buckstaff collection also contains samples from the 1809 =
L'Aigle, France Fall, a shower of more than 2,000 meteorites that =
convinced scientists that stones do fall from the heavens.

Article includes a photo showing a display and a man with the following =
caption: Ralph N. Buckstaff, Oshkosh's internationally-known collector =
of meteorites, is pictured with part of the Buckstaff collection which =
he recently gave to the Oshkosh Public Museum as a permanent gift. His =
meteorites have been on loan to the museum for about 15 years, according =
to John Kuony, museum director. The collection contains 279 specimens =
(weighing 261 pounds, 9 ounces) from 130 falls from throughout the =
world. It is considered to be the midwest's most complete collection =
outside of the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago.

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<DIV>Title: Oshkosh Northwestern <BR>City: Oshkosh, Wisconsin <BR>Date:=20
Wednesday, December 22, 1971</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Oh, I'd like one of=20
those!"<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ralph N. Buckstaff's eye's sparked =
and he=20
grinned broadly at the thought of having a moon rock in the Buckstaff =
collection=20
at the Oshkosh Public Museum.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Buckstaff's =
meteorite=20
collection on display on the third floro at the museum was recently =
given to the=20
museum as a permanent gift, although the Oshkosh collector's meteorites =
have=20
been on loan to the museum for about 15 =
years.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
Records supplied by John Kuong, museum director, show that the Buckstaff =

collection - one of the finest private collections in the United States =
- now=20
contains 279 specimens of meteorites from 130 falls throughout the=20
world.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The rocks weigh a total of 261 =
pounds, 9=20
ounces.&nbsp; There are so many that only a few can be displayed at the =
present=20
time in four lighted cases.&nbsp; The rest are stored below in locked=20
cabinets.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The most recent additions to the=20
colelction are a thinly-sliced slab and a large chunk from the 1968 =
Allende=20
(Mexico) fall. (The geographic location determines the name of the =
fall.) After=20
the Allende Fall, chunks of meteorite were found over a 20-mile area, =
Kuony=20
noted.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I've been collecting meteorites for =
a least=20
40 years.&nbsp; I saw some of the larger collections and got interested =
in them=20
that way," Buckstaff recalled.&nbsp; Eventually, his collection got to =
the point=20
where he could trade with other museums.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "If =
you are=20
fortunate to get the first fall of a meteorite you can trade with =
others.&nbsp;=20
If you get the corner on a new fall you can enlarge your =
collection.&nbsp; We=20
got the corner on two falls - one in North Dakota - and one in northern=20
Wisconsin - and got quite a bit of trading material.&nbsp; Sometimes a =
newspaper=20
article will clue you in on a new fall." the collector=20
commented.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; According to Buckstaff, his =
collection is=20
now to the point "where it is hard to keep track of the number of=20
specimens.&nbsp; They are not all on display because theere is not =
enough=20
room.&nbsp; Some day, I want to get them all out on=20
display."<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Retired president of the Buckstaff =
Co.,=20
the collector has been a member of the museum board since 1924 andis now =

considered its "president emeritus," according to=20
Kuony.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "The smaller a meteorite is the more =
valuable=20
it is." Buckstaff explained.&nbsp; He said that once a person knows =
something=20
about meteorites "it is easy to determine if a rock is a meteorite or =
not -=20
unless it is a new type of meteorite.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "An =
entirely=20
new type fell at Cumberland Falls, Ky. - it was seen to fall, a daylight =

meteorite - and we have speciemsn of that here.&nbsp; Instead of a black =
crust,=20
it has a transparent, yellow crust (almost whilte in place) and contains =
no=20
iron."<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Because of his fame as a =
collector and=20
meteorite expert, people constantly bring rock samples to the Buckstaff =
home,=20
2119 N. Main St., to see if they are pieces of=20
meteorites.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Usually, they think the =
rocks are=20
meteorites, but they are not.&nbsp; It is hard to tell if you don't know =

anything about meteorites.&nbsp; I have a piece of rock at home now that =
someone=20
brought over.&nbsp; I looked at it with a magnifying glass but it has no =

structure at all," Buckstaff commented.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The=20
Buckstaff collection is considered to be the major one in the Midwest =
outside of=20
the collection at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.&nbsp; =
Other=20
major collectors include the American Museum of Natural History in New =
York, the=20
Smithsonian Institution in Washington D. C. and the University of=20
Arizona.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Buckstaff said he has not yet =
seen a=20
final written analysis on what the moon rocks brought back by United =
States=20
astronauts contain - but he sure would like to have one in his =
collection.&nbsp;=20
"They are not weathered.&nbsp; They are unlike anything we have here," =
he=20
noted.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Meteorites are fragments of =
stone or=20
iron that reach the earth after traveling through space.&nbsp; Until =
they hit=20
the ground they are called meteors.&nbsp; They enter the atmosphere at a =
speed=20
of about 25 miles per second, according to museum=20
information.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Friction with the air =
makes the=20
meteors hot enough to glow and then burn.&nbsp; They become visible =
about 100=20
miles above the earth, but only a few are large enough to each the =
earth.&nbsp;=20
A fall of meteorites is usually accompanied by light and=20
sound.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Buckstaff collection =
contains=20
samples of the four most basic types of meteorites; stony, iron, =
iron-stone, and=20
tektites.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stony meteorites; the most common, =
have=20
small amounts of iron and nickle and show a granular structure.&nbsp; =
They may=20
usually be distinguished from oridinary stones by their black or =
brownish crust=20
and thumb marks on their surfaces.&nbsp; Stratifaction is never present =
and they=20
are somewhat heavier than other =
stones.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Iron=20
meteorites - the oldest sample on display is from a 1793 fall at Cape of =
Good=20
Hope, South Africa - are composed largely of iron and some nickle, plus =
traces=20
of cobalt, copper, sulphur and other elements.&nbsp; The Buckstaff =
display=20
includes samples from a fall in Saxeville, Waushara=20
County.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Iron-Stone meteorites combine =
metal=20
and stone, with the metal content much larger than in stony meteorites, =
forming=20
a spongelike structure.&nbsp; The cavifies are filled with=20
silicates.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; There are two theories on =
tektites: one,=20
that they solidified drops of molten glass that splashed earthward from =
the moon=20
when it was struck by a very large meteor; two, that they were spalshed =
from the=20
earth into space by a huge explosion and acquired their shape upon=20
re-entry.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tektites are glassy smooth, =
usually black,=20
and found only in a few localities on =
earth.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
The Buckstaff collection has meteorites from falls throughout the world, =

including seven meteorites of prime historical importance.&nbsp; Among =
them is=20
the Ider Fall, oldest fallen United States meteorite known (located on =
Sand=20
Mountain, northeastern Alabama), believed to be more than 200 million =
years=20
old.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Another sample is from the Richardton, =
N.D.=20
Fall which helped to establish the age of the universe.&nbsp; This fall =
was=20
formed 4,600,000.000 years ago at the birth of the solar system.&nbsp; =
The=20
sample contains a small amount of the rare radioactive gas, Xenon=20
129.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Buckstaff collection also contains =
samples=20
from the 1809 L'Aigle, France Fall, a shower of more than 2,000 =
meteorites that=20
convinced scientists that stones do fall from the heavens.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Article includes a photo showing a display and a man with the =
following=20
caption: Ralph N. Buckstaff, Oshkosh's internationally-known collector =
of=20
meteorites, is pictured with part of the Buckstaff collection which he =
recently=20
gave to the Oshkosh Public Museum as a permanent gift.&nbsp; His =
meteorites have=20
been on loan to the museum for about 15 years, according to John Kuony, =
museum=20
director.&nbsp; The collection contains 279 specimens (weighing 261 =
pounds, 9=20
ounces) from 130 falls from throughout the world.&nbsp; It is considered =
to be=20
the midwest's most complete collection outside of the Field Museum of =
Natural=20
History, Chicago.<BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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Received on Tue 22 Apr 2003 12:30:24 PM PDT


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