[meteorite-list] NPA 12-01-1902 Homemade Meteorites, Counterfeiters Arrested

From: MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Sep 13 11:20:06 2004
Message-ID: <BAY4-F9kn9F5CuuEMnp0005ea92_at_hotmail.com>

Paper: Daily Review
City: Decatur, Illinois
Date: Monday Evening, December 1, 1902
Page: 2


HOMEMADE METEORITES

     Genuine meteorites are so rare and bring such high prices among museums
and scientific collectors that it is perhaps not surprising that sharp
practices should resorted to by unscrupulous dealers in scientific
curiosities.

     A band of meteorite counterfeiters was recently captured and
considerable evidence obtained of very curious and ingenious methods for
seducing the gullible collector. The members of this band were Corsicans.
It was their practice to obtain natural rock resembling meteors as closely
as possible and then to burn them in order to produce a black crust which is
one of the trade marks of every genuine meteorite. The pieces of rock were
coated with lamp-black dissolved in molten sulphur. It seems, however, that
this method was so crude that the deception was easily discovered, and the
men for forthwith arrested.

(end)

Thats it for today.

Mark Bostick
Wichita, Kansas
www.meteoritearticles.com
Received on Mon 13 Sep 2004 11:16:39 AM PDT