[meteorite-list] Langs Auction - Official Statement

[RYAN PAWELSKI]

So, you temporarily lost track of Achim's "stolen" meteorites.. yet you put them on the invoices of two absentee bidders at a higher price (??) I have inquired via email and still no response, so perhaps you care to post your an explanation here in public. (??) And no, I dont want to speak to you over the phone.. I have requested a explanation in writing but I keep getting the same response from you. 

Regards,

A frustrated absentee bidder.

-----Original Message-----
>From: "rockgirl at twcny.rr.com" <rockgirl at twcny.rr.com>
>Sent: Feb 12, 2007 8:58 PM
>To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>Subject: [meteorite-list] Langs Auction - Official Statement
>
>Dear List Members,
> 
>Having just returned home from the 2007 Tucson show Allan and I would like
>to make the following statement 
>regarding our annual meteorite auction:
> 
>1) First of all, thank you to our many friends and customers who
>participated in the 2007 auction. It was intended to 
>be a fun, family-run event, and we are very disappointed that a few
>individuals have attempted to turn it into 
>something deceitful.
> 
>2) We are not professional auctioneers, and freely admit that we made some
>mathematical errors during the bidding. 
>We had one person handling the absentee bids, one auctioneer, one
>tabulating the results, and one spotting bids. In 
>a few instances we evidently failed to log every absentee bid, and some
>lots sold for less than they should have. We 
>apologize for those errors and will make good on them. Allan will
>personally contact the high bidders on every lot in 
>question, and offer them a replacement specimen, or find another
>appropriate way in which to compensate them for 
>our mistakes.
> 
>3) All specimens sold were from Allan's personal collection. Funds raised
>from the auction will help support The 
>Langheinrich Fossil Preserve -- our not-for-profit educational and research
>paleontology facility in upstate New 
>York. Any bidder who is unhappy with any item purchased at the auction can
>return it to us for a full refund.
>
>4) At the close of the auction we could not account for three specimens
>which had been won by Mr. Karl. At the time 
>we believed those pieces to have been stolen. We offered Mr. Karl an item
>from the auction catalog at far below our 
>reserve as a "thank you" for his understanding regarding the lost
>specimens. He accepted that offer, and left with a 
>very fine historic specimen for less than Allan's cost. Later, when packing
>up the room, we discovered the three 
>specimens had accidentally been put in a box in the kitchen. We are happy
>to make those specimens available to Mr. 
>Karl, at the hammer price, if he still wants them.
> 
>5) Please note that the person making the loudest accusations regarding our
>integrity was not at the auction, and did 
>not even place absentee bids. We have been in business for over thirty
>years, and we value our good reputation 
>above everything else. Any person -- whether a bidder or an interested
>party -- who has questions about the 
>auction is invited to contact us in private. Allan will personally ensure
>that every person who bid at the auction is 
>happy with the final outcome.
> 
>6) We are very disappointed that our integrity has been questioned by one
>or two people. We also feel that The 
>Meteorite List is not an appropriate forum for business discussions, so
>this will be our only public statement 
>regarding the auction.
> 
>Once again we thank our good friends and customers for their decades of
>support. Please contact us off-List with 
>any questions or concerns, and we will make sure they are taken care of.
> 
> 
>Sincerely,
> 
>Iris Lang
>R.A. Langheinrich Meteorites
>Langs Fossils
>
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