[meteorite-list] Caldwell, KS impact melt breccia AD, sort of

Thu Jan 22 21:08:35 EST 2009

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the great story and recovery work! Keep it up.

Sonny

-----Original Message-----
From: MeteorHntr at aol.com
To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Sent: Wed, 21 Jan 2009 9:55 pm
Subject: [meteorite-list] Caldwell, KS impact melt breccia  AD, sort of

Hello List,

The Caldwell, Kansas Meteorite Story.

For 16  years or so, I have been chasing after the Caldwell, Kansas
meteorite.  The  1986 version of the BMNH Catalogue (my original 
treasure map)
listed
this meteorite as being found in 1961, being 12.9 kg TKW with only 
about 50
grams represented in all collections world wide.

This discrepancy in  weights made the treasure hunter in me say 
"Hummmm..."

My hunch was that  someone had found this meteorite and sent Nininger 
or Huss
a chip off it.   It probably was determined that it was indeed a 
meteorite,
but the finder, for  whatever reason, didn't want to sell it back then. 
 This
scenario, while  very rare, did happen at least one other time that I 
know
about in the past  century.  Both Nininger and Huss were known for 
being
persistent at getting  specimens the located out of the field and into 
the lab.

In the  case of multiple finds from a strewnfield, the need wasn't as 
great
to  get ALL of them, but in the case of single specimen finds, there 
was a
logical case that could be made that science needed to study the new 
finds, and

thus, not many of those got away.

So for a couple of years, I tried to  find who had this rock.  I would 
ask
around the Caldwell area when my field  trips took me to that part of 
Kansas,
all with no luck.

One day I decided  to write to Margaret Huss (daughter of Nininger and 
widow
of Glen Huss) in  Colorado and I asked her what the old AML records 
might have
on the Caldwell  meteorite.  In her gracious and helpful way, she 
responded
by giving me the  name of the finder, Vernie Havorka.  Their records 
showed
that the AML did  get a piece of this meteorite, but that was all.

Some research on my part  showed that there was no longer any Havorkas 
in the
Caldwell area.  A  little more detective work and eventually I located 
the
original finder in  another city.  I paid a visit to Vernie's home and 
we struck

up a  great conversation and a friendship was formed.

He showed me his  meteorite, and told me about the find.  Nothing 
dramatic,
just that he had  hit it with the plow on his family farm outside of 
Caldwell.
He mentioned  that both Nininger and Huss had paid him a couple of 
visits
over the years, but  that he never really wanted to part with the rock. 

Although
he had given  one of the men a piece for testing and verification.

When I asked if he  would want to sell it now, he told me that it was 
in his
Will, designated to go  to his son upon his death, and that it wasn't 
for
sale.

Vernie was a  part time pastor of a small country church and he had 
taken
quite a few  missionary trips over seas.  He was full of stories of 
exciting
trips to  exotic places.  We would talk, sometimes for hours about far 
away
places.  One trip I remember him talking about was going to the 
U.S.S.R.  before

their break up.  It was an interesting story, one that I used as a  
spring board

to think about what it would be like to go to Russia and travel to  the
Sikhote Alin site on a "missionary" trip of my own to "save" some of 
those  lost

rocks.

Early on, I had mentioned to Alan Rubin at UCLA about finding  the 
Caldwell
finder, and Dr. Rubin asked if there was a way I could get him just  a 
little
piece of the rock for some more detailed testing.  So, the next  time I 
was in
Kansas, I popped in on Vernie, and made the request, and he  obliged by
letting me take off a small piece around 20 grams.

I got the  fragment to UCLA and they were able to determine that the 
rock was
indeed an  L-impact melt breccia.  The portion he got from me was of 
the
impact  portion, so a more detailed classification wasn't forthcoming.

While I  took Vernie at his word, that he didn't want to sell his 
specimen
that he  treasured, over the years I would still pop in on him.  I 
remember
showing  him, in his driveway, the 280 pound "Rediscovery Stone" I 
found at
Brenham in  2005, that was just a few days before I ended up finding 
the Brenham

Main Mass.  That was one of several finds I had showed him over the 
years  when
I had a good excuse to stop in to see him again.  We would talk about  
various
things and I would eventually get around to half heartedly asking if he 
 was
sure he didn't want to sell his rock yet?

The answer was always the same.

This last fall, I was passing near  Vernie's home on the way out to 
shoot the
Discovery TV meteorite segment at  Brenham, when strangely there wasn't 
an
answer at his door.  I left him a  note saying "hi" on my business card 
and I
went on.   Several  weeks later I received a phone call from Vernie's 
son
informing me that Vernie  had passed away very near the time I last 
stopped by
and
left my last  note.

The conversation with his son veered around different  topics, 
including how
much Vernie enjoyed his meteorite.  I mentioned to  the son that Vernie 
had
indicated that while he was alive, he didn't want to  part with the 
meteorite,
but that it would be his son's decision to make at a  later time.   I 
asked
Vernie's son if he would possibly be interested  in selling the rock, 
and he was

at least open to the idea.  Several  conversations later, he eventually
decided to sell it.

Most of the  meteorite, including the main mass portion, is now in the
permanent collection  of the Kansas Meteorite Society.  As I 
understand, the
Kansas
Meteorite  Society guys are going to continue to sell a small number of
limited edition 1g  pieces on Ebay over time, but not much of what they 
have
will be
up for  resale.
Several other institutions have shown a strong interest  in acquiring 
some of
this material from me via trades.  But the modern red  tape filled 
process
will delay me knowing just how much will be eventually  available to 
private
collectors for some time.  My guess is that only about  500 grams total 
will
make
it to private collections, maybe a bit less.

This meteorite is very interesting looking.  While it is an impact  
melt, it
does not have the appearance of Cat Mountain or Smyer.  But there  is a 
very
distinct dark melt zone and the non melted portion has this very  
pretty Aqua
color to it.  A color I am not sure I have ever seen in a  meteorite 
before.

I have cut and prepped 15 part slices, totaling 431  grams and in each 
of
these part slices I have preserved some of both  lythologies.

I will be bringing what I have left of these part slices  (from 4.5 
grams up
to 76 grams) to Tucson with me, however I did want to give  everyone on 
the
list an opportunity to get one now, before the show.    For those of 
you who ARE

going to Tucson, when I get there, you can look through  what I will 
have
left, if I have any left then.

If you buy a  slice now, and if you are also going to Tucson you can 
always
choose to trade  the piece you buy now out for another piece, if you 
see one
then that you think  you like better, again, if I have any left by the 
time I
get to Tucson

I  expect to sell out of these I have set aside for collectors, so if 
you
want a  beautiful new meteorite, one that got away from Nininger and 
Huss, here
is your  chance.  A beautiful rock, with a nice story, at a fair price. 
 What
more would a collector want?

If you are interested in purchasing a part  slice, please email me off 
list,
for a list of what I have available and the  prices on them.

And I would be remiss if I didn't remind you that your  support in 
buying
meteorites from full time field hunters, like myself, helps us  get 
back out in
the field to find you more meteorites for your collection  later.

Your support is always appreciated.

Email me OFF list if you want  more details.

Thank you for your consideration,

Steve Arnold  #1
www.SteveArnoldMeteorites.com

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