[meteorite-list] Labeling specimens

Sat Feb 27 17:33:16 EST 2010

Greetings list,

It seems to me that even if we paint numbers on our specimens, their 
identification still relies on whether or not our documentation accompanies 
them.  A number #47.02A doesn't mean anything to future generations unless 
there is a catalog to indicate what it means.  And if all of this is going 
to rely on a paper/digital catalog, then why bother painting numbers on them 
at all?  I think a catalog with detailed photos can do the job just as well 
without harming the aesthetics of the piece.

I imagine a future collector trying to identify an unlabeled 5.5g meteorite 
from a known collection.  They look in the paper/digital catalog, sorted by 
weight, and find the photos of any 5.5g pieces.  Then they can quickly 
identify the specimen without having a number painted on 25% of the surface.

Although, this makes me wonder if maybe specimens should still have a "mark" 
to indicate whose collection/catalog they belonged to.  This mark could be 
smaller and less obtrusive than a full ID number would be.  Maybe something 
like the owner's initials or IMCA number.

I guess what I'm saying is that digital cameras make documenting our 
collections easier than ever before - so let's take advantage of this! 
Documenting a collection with detailed photos is fun, too.

--Noah

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ed Deckert" <edeckert at triad.rr.com>
To: <countdeiro at earthlink.net>; "martin goff" 
<msgmeteorites at googlemail.com>; <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 27, 2010 1:39 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Labeling specimens

> Hello Count, Martin and List,
>
> I agree with the Count about painting numbers on specimens.  As he points 
> out, Lylle, Huss, Nininger, and others have done it, and so do many 
> museums. I worked (volunteered) with the Curator of Collections in our 
> local Science Museum in 2008 to inventory their collection.  In about 97% 
> of all cases, the Accession Number was painted directly on the item in an 
> out of the way place - be it a meteorite, mineral, or other piece in their 
> collection.  The exception being, of course, where painting was impossible 
> or problematic.
>
> Stick-on labels can fall off as the adhesive can deteriorate with time.  I 
> have purchased meteorite specimens with an adhesive label applied to the 
> cut/polished surface, and that is not a problem for me unless the label 
> falls off.  Painting the numbers on eliminates that problem as long as the 
> surface is clean, dry, and free of loose particulate matter.
>
> One of these days, when I get some time, I plan to label my large-enough 
> specimens with painted-on numbers, do a photographic record, and set up a 
> database for my collection.  I have a decent DSLR, bellows, and macro 
> lenses.  With a little practice and good lighting, I hope to be able to 
> master macro photography.
>
> Ed Deckert
> IMCA #8911
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <countdeiro at earthlink.net>
> To: "martin goff" <msgmeteorites at googlemail.com>; 
> <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
> Sent: Saturday, February 27, 2010 11:21 AM
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Labeling specimens
>
>
>> Good Morning Martin and List,
>>
>> I truly believe that we homo sapiens have a well developed ability to 
>> remember past beneficial and not so beneficial actions accomplished by 
>> our predecessors in order to guide us when important decisions have to be 
>> made.
>>
>> What was good enough for the likes of Lylle, Huss, Nininger, Kurat, Kulik 
>> and so many other pioneers and experts in meteorite collection and 
>> curating....should point the way for us...PAINT NUMBERS ON THEM!.....Or 
>> write up a nice little piece of software that allows you to take a decent 
>> digital macro photo of your sprecimens and manipulate it into a nicely 
>> referenced data base for easily referenced identification and 
>> description.
>>
>> Regards to all...and I had a wondefull time in Tucson..thanks to so many 
>> from the List,
>>
>> Count Deiro
>> IMCA 3536
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>>From: martin goff <msgmeteorites at googlemail.com>
>>>Sent: Feb 27, 2010 3:50 AM
>>>To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>>>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Labeling specimens
>>>
>>>All,
>>>
>>>Thanks for your all your comments on and off list, most interesting. I
>>>think i am being steered
>>>away from directly labelling my stones unless they are NWA or
>>>unclassified. However it seems a bit of a double standard that if i
>>>were to label my specimens myself it would be somehow frowned upon yet
>>>we as collectors value specimens with Nininger/Huss numbers etc. If
>>>for example a specimen was obtained say from the Manchester museum
>>>with one of their recently applied labels on would any of us remove the
>>>label? I very much doubt it, we would prize that specimen as showing
>>>provenance from that collection, that would match their catalogue etc.
>>>etc. In 50 or 100 or however many years that specimen would only get
>>>more and more historical and that label have more and more importance
>>>attached to it.
>>>
>>>I suppose my point is that would we now have the same number of
>>>Nininger/Huss etc.labelled stones if they didn't have numbers written
>>>directly on them? If say they had been displayed/sold in a bag or box
>>>with a label but no markings on, over time would some have have been
>>>separated from their boxes/bags and labels? I would hazard a guess
>>>that quite a few would have suffered this fate and now we would be
>>>left with some unidentifiable stones.
>>>
>>>Although by saying this i am placing no importance whatsoever on me as
>>>an individual collector or my own numbers as being valuable other than
>>>to avoid the situation of misidentified or unidentified specimens in
>>>the future. As only temporary custodians of our collections surely
>>>making sure that our collections can easily be passed on without any
>>>missing info is of prime importance?
>>>
>>>Numbering specimens directly is surely the most foolproof method of
>>>achieving this? All the labels on boxes/bags and display stands etc.
>>>are meaningless when the specimen is removed. All the photos of the
>>>specimen stored either in hard copy or digital form are subject to
>>>being lost or destroyed. I know these are all extreme circumstances
>>>and most of the time these steps that we take will be absolutely fine
>>>as specimens stay with their displays/cards etc. but if there is a
>>>possibility, however small of accidents happening should we not do
>>>more?
>>>
>>>As an example of the situation i want to avoid see the photo of the
>>>orphaned stone in the article on a recent visit to the Manchester
>>>museum (http://www.bimsociety.org/article-manchester.shtml) If this
>>>had an original number on it it probably would not be in the situation
>>>its in now. Its more than a distinct possibility that this is stone
>>>from a historical fall and yet we may never know........
>>>
>>>Anyway, some food for thought!
>>>
>>>Cheers
>>>
>>>
>>>Martin
>>>______________________________________________
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