[meteorite-list] The Trials and Tribulations in Dealing with Landowners

From: Martin Altmann <altmann_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:34:19 +0100
Message-ID: <003c01cbd1d4$6d1ead30$475c0790$_at_de>

Hi, too busy to secrete my usual suada ;-)

So only a quick thought.

Please keep in mind,
that the Brenham prices today are a fraction of that, what Brenham had cost
in the years after its first recovery and much cheaper than that what was
asked in Nininger times,
and finally much lower than that, what all museums and curators had paid for
their hundreds of kilos you mentioned.

The commerce-argumentation was perhaps still possible in the 1980ies,
but certainly not in the last 2 decades.

Best!
Martin






On Feb 21, 2011, at 7:41 AM, Jeff Grossman wrote:

> Why don't we discuss the real issue with this thread? Is nobody else
offended by the idea of destroying meteorites for commercial gain?
>
> I do realize that the scientific value of Brenham pallasites is extremely
low. Many hundreds of kg are held by museums, so chances are that the
destruction by dealers of a few hundred kg more to extract the olivine will
not result in irreversible harm to science.
>
> But what if some cult placed a high value on ritually consuming
Martian/lunar meteorites or angrites, or CAIs, and the price for powdered
meteorites skyrocketed? Would it be ethical to destroy these meteorites for
profit? And, are such practices harmful, in the long-run, to both science
and the avocation of meteorite collecting?
>
> A large part of the tension between the scientific and collector
communities, including the creation of much-reviled export and ownership
laws in some countries, arises from the perception that national scientific
treasures are being lost. This sort of practice by dealers could make the
situation so much worse.
>
> Jeff
>
>
> On 2/21/2011 5:59 AM, JoshuaTreeMuseum wrote:
>> The space gems need to be marketed to high profile fashionistas like Lady
GaGa, Kendra, Paris Hilton and the Kardashians. With Kim and Khloe flashing
those babies as they hobnob with the crowned heads of Europe, the demand
will grow like wildfire. Soon every rock star and Hollywood actor will want
one. Justin Beiber will pierce his nose to sport a space jewel! Elton John
will have them set in a fancy-dancy pair of specs. Steve will be out of debt
in no time.
>>
>> ------------------------
>>
>> Phil Whitmer
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Received on Mon 21 Feb 2011 09:34:19 AM PST