[meteorite-list] ANSWER - whole stone concerns

[Steve Dunklee]

I have recieved some meteorites from list members with just the name of the meteorite  hand written on a piece of paper and the weight .  I WILL not mention any names because this may cause some problems on the list. It may however cause problems shold I die and the only documentation is the notes on the sample bag or box. The inside of one envelope actually had alongwith the sample in a riker box. A bunch of dirt in the envelope. The Carancas sample in the box did stick to a magnet and if it wasnt from an IMCA member I would still wonder if I had been ripped off. Cheers Steve Dunklee

On Sun May 8th, 2011 10:39 PM EDT Walter Branch wrote:

>Anne-
>
>> Does that help?
>
>No problem,  thus nothing to "help."
>
>> and Proof of provenance is not always all that easy
>
>Which was the point of my post.
>
>-Walter
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: <Impactika at aol.com>
>To: <waltbranch at bellsouth.net>; <mlblood at cox.net>; <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2011 10:14 PM
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] ANSWER - whole stone concerns
>
>
>> Well, Walter,
>> 
>> I cannot speak for Matt, but I have found that getting complete provenance
>> and Proof of provenance is not always all that easy.
>> I just discussed with a collector who has been collecting for many years,
>> but has moved several times in his life; he could tell me exactly what each
>> piece was and who he had bought it from (and some were from Matt) but he has
>> lost most of the paperwork.
>> And 2 years ago I bought a whole collection (some 200 pieces) that had been
>> boxed and stored in a closet for at least ten years. Again, some of the
>> labels and receipts were there but not all of them, some were missing, some he
>> just had little pieces of paper that he had handwritten and stuffed in the
>> boxes. Since he had stopped collecting some ten years prior, much before
>> meteorites got popular, I decided to take his word for it, but I had some of the
>> pieces verified. So I believe I have the right stuff, but you will have to
>> take my word for it, and you will only get my label.
>> In other words, it is the same old story: know your dealer, and deal only
>> with dealers you trust.
>> 
>> Does that help?
>> 
>> Anne M. Black
>> _www.IMPACTIKA.com_ (http://www.IMPACTIKA.com)
>> _IMPACTIKA at aol.com_ (mailto:IMPACTIKA at aol.com)
>> President of IMCA
>> _www.IMCA.cc_ (http://www.IMCA.cc)
>> 
>> 
>> In a message dated 5/8/2011 6:27:18 PM Mountain Daylight Time,
>> waltbranch at bellsouth.net writes:
>> Hello Michael,
>> 
>> It really is not that easy.  As this example illustrates, even honest
>> dealers can be duped.  I purchase meteorites from a very small list of
>> dealers.  Very small.  I have done business with some for 15 years; two I
>> started buying from this year.  All have earned my complete trust.
>> 
>> However...
>> 
>> While I trust these dealer to not intentionally dupe me, how do I know they
>> trust their sources and they have done their due diligence in the same way
>> I
>> have?
>> 
>> As an example, I applaud Anne Black for setting the example of providing
>> provenance for her meteorites but how am I assured the person who sold a
>> given specimen it to Anne did what Anne and I would have done?  BTW, I
>> trust
>> Anne.
>> 
>> I sold some meteorites recently.  I listed the dealers I purchased the
>> meteorites from.  I sold one last week that I obtained from Matt Morgan. I
>> told the purchaser I got it from Matt.  Did Matt vett his source, as I have
>> done Matt?  I don't know.   Did the person before them?  I don't know.
>> BTW,
>> I trust Matt.
>> 
>> Remember the, what was it, sandstone dinosaur egg incident?
>> 
>> As we can see, the chain of custody can become quite complicated.
>> 
>> I have been concerned for a long time now about this sort of thing
>> happening.  The surprising thing to me is that it did not happen sooner.
>> 
>> This whole incident is really getting to me. I have had it on my mind all
>> day.
>> 
>> -Walter Branch
>> 
>> 
>
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