[meteorite-list] Professionals No Longer Sought

From: e-mail ensoramanda <ensoramanda_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 9 Oct 2010 18:13:57 +0100
Message-ID: <AANLkTikubtmagbRc6mZzaos5RcDhnGwmfU4Uf9oU62HP_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hi Dave,

I am not really sure what you are getting at when talking of
check-lists of attributes defining professionals and scientists having
to address questions by the general public/collector? I cannot see how
the first would help anyone or how the second could ever be practical.

What it comes down to is having confidence in who you buy from or deal
with and trying to learn as much about the samples you wish to
collect.

There are very few options for the collector. In an ideal world it
would be great to have your own equipment to verify what you get or
have your own science contacts that could do that but that just isn't
going to happen. There is not enough time and very little point in
retesting small samples for individuals...it's just a waste of
resources and not productive.

Science benefits from new material being submitted by dealers and
dealers then benefit from material being verified and classified.
After that point you just have to choose dealers who have a good
reputation that are selling that classified material with provenance.
Otherwise there is no real substitute for having years of experience
studying, looking at hundreds of samples of all types in collections,
at shows, in books, online etc etc when it comes to choosing your
purchases.

It also depends on what your focus is when collecting meteorites..and
there are many different collectors....some concentrate on micros,
others planetary, types, aesthetic qualities etc etc. Science is
important in some more than others. I, for instance, like nothing
better than searching through a box of UNWA material at a show looking
for something aesthetically pleasing, showing flight markings or an
unusual shape or matrix....something that may tell a story about it's
flight through the atmosphere....evidence of impact craters on sikhote
alins.( I have even managed this by studying batches for sale on line)
Knowing what to buy then just relies on your own experience.

Regards,

Graham







On 9 October 2010 12:50, David Gunning <davidgunning at fairpoint.net> wrote:
>
> Hi Graham UK,
>
> The last time I looked there was no check-list of attributes defining
> what it means to be a "professional" meteorite dealer.
>
> The more I learn about the IMCA, and how it presents itself as a quasi
> enforcer of honest meteorite dealings between it's membership and the
> meteorite collecting community, at large, the more I like what I see.
>
> That is not to say, however, that I would want to subscribe to it's
> tenets of extreme trust that it's membership, you included, appears to
> crow about in place of solid verifiable scientific mineralogical evidence
> when purchasing meteorites, where and whenever possible.
>
> One of the difficulties, seems to me, is that the scientists, generally
> speaking, are too deeply insulated from having to address the questions
> and concerns of us mere ordinary mortals, non IMCA members.
> Professionalism, at it's best, means addressing those devilish details
> that don't always quite square-up, in my view. ?Science, at it's best,
> should be verifiable and evidence based for even us ordinary mere
> mortals, don't you suppose?
>
> Verifiably yours,
>
> Dave Gunning
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> Hi Dave,
>>
>> I think you will find in time that many of the most "professional"
>> meteorite dealers as you call them do not have to sell themselves hard
>> on the list or to individuals as they have built up their reputations
>> over many years and do not need to. There are many who deal
>> "professionally" too but have other main professions not related to
>> meteorites. Very few in the world hunt and deal full time and many
>> many excellent dealers are part time....many only use the list very
>> occasionally.
>>
>> You may well have been contacted by 6 "professional" dealers but I
>> would take my time. Look around and study carefully what is on offer
>> that fits your needs from a wider field. Compare prices, quality and
>> check out the archives. It takes a while I have found.
>>
>> I find the vast majority of people on the list are very "professional"
>> as collectors, scientists or dealers and as such any one of them may
>> be willing to help you out if you have a specific item you are after.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Graham UK IMCA#1835
>>
>>
>>
>> On 8 October 2010 22:50, David Gunning <davidgunning at fairpoint.net>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi All,
>>>
>>> After an initial responsive surge of 6 "professional" meteorite dealers
>>> to my ad seeking same, the surge has, apparently, subsided. Dried-up.
>>> Gone kaput. ?So, lemme see, out of a total list membership of, what,
>>> 950,
>>> or so, members, and with six acknowledged professional meteorite
>>> dealers,
>>> (and other celestial objects dealers) amongst your ranks, that would be
>>> a
>>> ratio of 950 to 6 for an estimated percentage value of less that 1%
>>> total
>>> of professional dealers who view themselves as such and are willing to
>>> allow themselves as being such on the list.
>>>
>>> Wow, there sure must be alot of collectors and scientists on the list.
>>>
>>> How cool is that?
>>>
>>> Thanks, Chummies!
>>>
>>> Dave Gunning
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>
>
>
Received on Sat 09 Oct 2010 01:13:57 PM PDT