AW: [meteorite-list] What was he thinking?

[Norbert Classen]

Hi Bob, Martin, and All,

First, let me get something straight: I didn't cut DaG 113, although it is
featured on my site. Martin is correct, it was found in 1996, and back then
each and every desert find was cut, and classified. Hey, the museums paid
big bucks for these, and they even paid for the repository specimens of
ordinary chondrites. Prices that would seem ridiculous for desert eucrites
nowadays were paid for badly weathered ordinary chondrites.

The finder of DaG 113, Rainhard Welz, was one of the pioneers of hot desert
meteorite hunting, and he's the same person who found the first lunar on the
Northern hemisphere, DaG 262 (he also recovered most of the early Acfers,
DaGs, and HaHs). These were different times, and without this guy, and some
other brave boys there would have been no gold rush in Oman or NWA. My
respect goes where respect is due. Kudos to these pioneers, whatever they
were thinking when cutting an oriented OC.

Athough Lafayette (stone) has been cut, its main mass is still an epitome of
an oriented chondrite. I don't want to compare DaG 113 to Lafayette, but
then, you won't get to see such a great example of an oriented stone too
often. Oriented irons are a different thing as there are many great Tazas
and Sikhotes - but oriented stones, especially with a weathering grade of
just W1 are pretty rare. You don't have to look at the cut side if it hurts
you - DaG 113 displays perfectly with the cut side facing the wall ;-)

That being said: the oriented main mass of DaG 113 is up for sale on eBay,
right now, and I started the auction with no reserve. If you want to have a
look at this, and my other auctions, feel free to visit:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZivuna 

All the best,
Norbert

-----Martin Altmann wrote:-----

Hi Bob,

as far as I know DaG 113 was found in 1996.
At those times meteorites were highly treasured and appreciated.
Imagine, some collectors and scientists treated them as they would be pieces
from other worlds, out from space, as they would be more rare than gold!
I heard, that ordinary chondrites were even classified then!
Yes those were the days....

Grampa Buckleboo.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Evans" <bobe5531 at comcast.net>

> Tell me,
>
> Am I the only one who gets perturbed everytime somebody cuts a nice
oriented
> meteorite for classification ?
> I mean, wouldn't any logical person kick theirself in the ass after they
> find out that its just another ordinary chondrite?
> I could see if there was some telltale signs that the piece could be a
rare
> meteorite from the exterior, but how can one ruin a nice oriented specimen
> when it most likely is a OC. There are tons of nasty looking meteorites to
> cut open to satisfy the curiosity. Why waste the oriented ones?
>
> Have a look :
> http://www.meteoris.de/list/DaG113.htm 
>
> Bob