[meteorite-list] Ivan "Skip" Wilson -One of Americas GreatMeteorite Hunters

From: Martin Altmann <altmann_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:33:38 +0200
Message-ID: <000f01ca0611$a58ca8b0$177f2a59_at_name86d88d87e2>

Finally someone else enunciated it!

"pay your respects"

Many thanks, for that Michael!

When I was a beginner long ago, I never would have dared to scream: burn him
on the stake in public, if a person, who found so many meteorites wouldn't
have answered right in the same evening, when I asked, what had happened
with my 2$ meteorite.
At these times one hadn't to be afraid of being ridiculed by one's
fellow-collectors as ass-kisser (such expressions I read on the list), if
one appreciated the achievements of a meteorite person in public.
It was unthinkable that the sources of the most exiting meteorite finds
would have been called amateurs, looters, extortioners, criminals or even
cameleers.
That was the climatic change of the recent times I found fault with a while
ago and which I personally observed more with the recent collectors
generation and also with some younger scientists. If I remember how the
latter were elated on the shows about the new desert finds a few years ago
only, how they purchased them and wrote their papers about, then it's
especially difficult to understand for me, how they think they have to treat
now the very same persons.

Other thing is also always a little bit pity.
That most get their respect paid not before they have more than 80 years or
have passed away.

Wasn't here suggested a Hall of Fame?
Maybe it could also include the living?

On the other hand I guess that wouldn't be possible.
A few of the fanatics would regard a collection of hunters' portraits as a
circle of hell, while even worse others from the prohibition fraction would
see that thing as a welcome presentation of the warrants of apprehension of
the most wanted ones,
cause their unpayable and unquestionable merits and work for meteorite
sciences and community, was partially driven by those into illegality in the
very recent years.

I would wish, that we could once return to the more civilized company
and conduct of the not so far past.

Best!
Martin

 


-----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
Von: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] Im Auftrag von michael
cottingham
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 16. Juli 2009 07:02
An: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Betreff: [meteorite-list] Ivan "Skip" Wilson -One of Americas GreatMeteorite
Hunters

Hello,

Some of you know him, some of you have heard of him and many of the
newer members of this list should know about him.

Ivan Skip Wilson is one of the most successful meteorite hunters in
the world. He has personally found over 130 meteorites from Roosevelt
County, New Mexico, only a few of these were paired. He has been
hunting in that part of New Mexico since the 1960's and Glenn Huss,
(Nininger's son-in-law) called him the Great American Meteorite Hunter.

When I first started to hunt meteorites, I made a journey to see him.
He is a kind man and he shared his wealth of information with me and
even gave me several locations to hunt. He showed me exactly where the
Macy meteorite had been found and told me there were more pieces out
there. I learned a lot from him and he sold me many great specimens at
great prices, which helped to establish me in the business of
meteorite buying and selling. A remarkable human being who is always
sharing stories, generous with his meteorite knowledge and gifted at
finding lots of meteorites. There are probably only a few of the Oman
and North Africa meteorite hunters who have actually found more.
However, it is the spirit of a fine human being willing to share their
gift that stands out the most about Skip Wilson.

I would suggest to any of the new and up and coming Hunter/Collector/
Dealer folks out there to pay your respects to one of our elder's in
the world of meteorites and one of the finest of meteorite hunters.
In fact there is no one on this list who has found more meteorites in
America than Skip Wilson.

Best Wishes

Michael Cottingham


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Received on Thu 16 Jul 2009 08:33:38 AM PDT