[meteorite-list] Re: "Bessey Specks"

From: MexicoDoug <MexicoDoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Oct 17 15:55:20 2006
Message-ID: <012501c6f226$abf188d0$82e0a5ac_at_thedawning>

Hello Adam, Listees,

Bessey Speck
(1) A commercially marketed, submillimeter-sized, granular or irregular,
intentionally broken petreus meteoritical fragment which collectors prize as
a token possession of an expensive meteorite or of one with limited
distribution, typically used more as a conversational piece or to
satisfactorily fill a primal participatatory instinct for collection and
coat-tailing on the "wow-effect" of possession of the parent specimen.
Compare to "Particle", "Stardust", "Crumb", "Micro" and "Micromount".
(2) Any, almost microscopic-sized particle originating from a larger (macro)
meteorite specimen.

Note, I'm not disagreeing with Adam' response to Ed in the sense that the
term micromount is a term in the toolbox, although I think the word particle
is more descriptive for most of our uses. I am agreeing with Michael Blood
that the term Bessey Speck has a place.

The questionably honorific term "Bessey Speck" seems like a much more
descriptive term to me than micromount for many collectors. To me a
"micromount" implies some sort of serious grand plan of scientific
investigation or illustration of specific attributes. Size alone doesn't
count, as much as purpose. For example, Stardust particles are not
micromounts unless prepared that way despite Adam's definition, and they are
not Bessey Specks, though micro-Besseyspeckies are certainly hypothetically
possible.

"Bessey Speck" consideres that not all particles commercially sold in venues
like eBay find scientific use regardless of who is doing the selling. That's
where Bessey Speck is a unique and interesting term. Adam's definition
clearly has the weighted meaning toward a usually higher "scientific" use in
observing material properties: appreciation with binocular microscope,
better developed crystals, etc... The short comment in that definition
"obtaining for less," especially given the profit and pleasure motives
between buyers and sellers, really seems quite out of place to me. Adam's
post wasn't clear, at least for me, if he disagreed with the use of the term
Bessey Speck or just was offering Ed an alternate (which I definitely agree
with Adam in doing).

I am not comfortable with the term micromount being more properly used for
specimens purposefully shattered into small bits with a sledge for the
unadulterated and pure pleasure of collectors filling holes in their
collections, a majority of which are not "better appreciating" their samples
in a binocular microscope which many don't have nor have too much motivation
to get.

Didn't "Bessey Speck" usage start with Dean's Mars rock sales many years
before most of our times? I am trying to remember Kevin Kitchinka's
comments in "The Art of Meteorite Collecting" (don't have handy here) where
an explanation of the etymology of this colorful term was published and my
Mars' comment references. Bessey Specks, though, gets the point across much
better for me! It's ll in the intended use and market. While I don' think
a "Micromount" is an appropiate common sense description for something not
carefully prepared and mounted to exhibit some characteristic, heck - if
their not even carefully mounted...

So, unless Dean objects to being immortalized in this fashion, that is my 2
centavos.
Doug


----- Original Message -----
From: "Adam Hupe" <raremeteorites_at_comcast.net>
To: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 2:53 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Re: "Bessey Specks"


The term micromount has been used for decades to describe this type of
specimen.

Micromount:

Micromount is term used by mineral collectors and rockhounds to describe
mineral specimens that are best appreciated using a binocular microscope.
Micromount specimen collecting has a number of advantages, specimens take up
less space, rare minerals can be obtained for less and smaller crystals are
more perfectly developed.


All the best,

Adam




----- Original Message -----
From: "E.P. Grondine" <epgrondine_at_yahoo.com>
To: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 7:07 AM
Subject: [meteorite-list] Re: "Bessey Specks"


> Hi Michael, list -
>
> I see you list your Bessey Specks as "frags".
>
> (Your price of $25 seems very fair for Nakla specks,
> but I already picked up Mars Bessey Specks for
> childrens' gifts at Christmas from Hupe.)
>
> Clearly, there is a need for a more elegant term than
> "Bessey Specks" for these. Does anybody have any
> proposals? If not, is Dean(?-stroke damage) Bessey
> going to be immortalized by having these formally
> named after him?
>
> Hupe also sent the Bessey specks in small tubes
> suitable for young hands, along with 1 nice pair of
> cards (BTW I need a second pair of cards for the
> second set of tubes, Greg), instead of gelatin
> capsules.
>
> Perhaps microscope slides would be more suitable for
> adult use, but as I don't remember any discussion of
> these on the list, I'm bringing it up now.
>
> good hunting -
> Ed
>
> --- Michael L Blood <mlblood_at_cox.net> wrote:
>
>> Greetings fellow space treasure lovers,
>> This post includes a fabulous, large iron
>> and an entire new
>> page of historic calls.
>>
>> FIRST:
>> A beautiful 6.5 Kg / 14.3 Lb S-A Shrapnel piece that
>> appears for all
>> the world to be an oriented shield on one side and a
>> flat, oriented
>> specimen heading to the left in a downward angle on
>> the other side.
>> This piece includes an custom build display
>> stand to facilitate
>> a very impressive display of its virtues.
>> If no one snaps this up on sale it will go
>> into my catalog
>> at $3,250- but the first to contact me will take it
>> in this sale for 2,750-
>> (price includes shipping and insurance inside the
>> US)
>> This spectacular piece can be seen at:
>>
>> http://community.webshots.com/album/554884324rEfSPa
>>
>> SECOND:
>> I have set up an entire page dedicated to hammers ?
>> meteorites that have
>> struck man made objects, animals or humans. This is
>> a collection of the
>> most impressive of all the recorded meteorite falls
>> in history. I have 35
>> different recorded falls (including Bessey Specks of
>> Sylacauga, Yurtuk and
>> Burnwell). About half of the falls can also be found
>> elsewhere with diligent
>> searching ? and you will find my prices are as low
>> as anyone's. The others
>> cannot be had anywhere else. They are priced
>> according to cost. This page
>> is
>> worth checking out even if you don't want to buy
>> anything ? it was 5 years
>> in the making and includes historical photos, links,
>> etc. See at the URL
>> below:
>>
>> http://www.michaelbloodmeteorites.com/Hammers.html
>>
>> Pieces on the Hammer page will be marked "SOLD" as
>> orders come in ?
>> so, if it is still listed when you email me, it is
>> available.
>>
>> PayPal preferred (sent to this email
>> address) Visa/Mastercard
>> and personal checks gladly accepted.
>> Happy Hunting! Michael
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
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Received on Tue 17 Oct 2006 03:58:49 PM PDT