[meteorite-list] Tucson 2002

From: David Freeman <dfreeman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:54:04 2004
Message-ID: <3C694A93.8090406_at_fascination.com>

Dear Listees;
I was in awe at the birthday party. Art is YOUNG. Kevin K. is young
and has one heck of a story that has no bark. Robert Haag does not
age, and neither does Anne Black.
Next year we all should dress cowboy for the party.
Dean Bessey has donated $30 that will go to the IMCA web site. Michael
Blood auctioned the 1/2 pound-ish piece of Mr. Nininninger's crapper for
free and I donated the swell specimen. Mr. Bessey will have a bit more
for those interested in aquiring their specimen of this unique OLD
meteorite museum collectable. The new Barringer crater museum is
wonderful...only there is a large toxic feeling about Mr. Nininninger in
the musseum staff and the local community.

It is 15 degrees in Wyoming at the present time.
Best Wishes,
Dave Freeman


MARSROX_at_aol.com wrote:

>I've just returned from six days in Tucson and will file this report for
>those that weren't able to make it. I'll include some peripheral info.
>
>Because I was hand-carrying a suitcase full of meteorites, I received special
>attention at the FtMyers (Fla.), Chicago and Tucson airports both coming and
>going. I was selected randomly again at the boarding gate in Chicago for a
>second inspection. In Tucson both X-Ray machines kept malfunctioning and we
>also had to remove our shoes for a sniff test. If they were looking for
>"smelly" I'm a winner.
>
>Weather was good 40*- 70*F. Very windy at times.
>
>Attendance by dealers looked to be down 10%. Attendance over all down 25%. Of
>course the show is the "Rock and Gem" show. I believe that more meteorite
>"people" were there than ever.
>
>If you want unclassified NWA's you came to the right place. All sizes and
>grades from 100% crusted to apparent pieces of "mud." There were abundant
>classified NWA's, too. Surprising to me, some types like eucrites and
>howardites had relatively high "ask" prices. My friend Bruno wants $15K for
>his low TKW nakhlite and its Mars' mantle water alteration. Some dealers
>inventory was >50% NWA.
>
>Dean Bessey, Marvin Kilgore, Jim Labenne and Mike Farmer tell me that the
>NWA's "strewnfield" is about "fished out." Where the Bedouins were visiting
>"collecting families" with rocks piled to the ceilings of their tents (?)
>only shoebox size amounts are now available. If you want 'em, buy 'em now.
>The strewfield of opportunity will be moving elsewhere.
>
>Sculpted Gibeons and large or small Canyon Diablos are slim pickins' and
>prices are higher. "Trophy" Campos are not to be found. "Named" meteorites
>were far less abundant then the last 5 years. Prices for these are now
>firming and I suspect (my opinion folks) that barring the end-of-the-world,
>the meteorite market has bottomed.
>
>Darryl's auction had notable successes and failures. Sienna (4.74gms.)
>brought $2,016 (inc. 12.5% buyer's premium). Allende (160.8 gms, 50% crust)
>brought $619. Williamette (9.55gm - no tribal protest on site, though a train
>went by during it's auction) - $3375. No sale on 6.84 gm. D'Orbigny _at_
>$230/gm, or Steinbach (93 gms.) _at_ $60. Chassigny (0.034gms) went out @
>$24,800/gm. Perhaps someone will post a complete list........
>
>Please remember that items at auctions can be pallasites that aren't
>translucent, huge specimens that will bring far less per gram than little
>ones, and many other variables that affect the price. The price that a
>specimen brings at auction is only the price of that particular item, not
>necessarily every one of its type.
>
>Reports that people are digging through the boxes of NWA "mud" and finding
>urelites and CR's are somewhat exaggerated. Some un-named individuals were
>seen slicing anonymous NWA's in half declaring "it's either a urelite or
>weathered granite."
>
>The Birthday Boy's Steve and Geoff will have a tough time topping this year's
>party. A large room was rented for the 75 attendees at La Fuente Mexican
>restaurant complete with mariachi band playing rock. (Si, te amo "rock") To
>top off the festivities the "First Annual Harvey Awards", (like in Nininger)
>an NWA on a Lucite pedestal were awarded to:
>- Mike Martinez for "contributing to bringing respect to the meteorite
>community." Of course, his main "contribution" was wearing a hard hat
>inscribed "Meteorite Recovery Team" that featured adjacent racks for liquor
>bottles and flexible straws for easy drinking.
>- Blaine Reed received "Congeniality" award for allowing every met dealer in
>Tucson to make deals "commission free" in HIS room.
>- Bob Haag "Lifetime Contribution" Award for the obvious. Bob being Bob, he
>deferred his speech time to the celebrants Steve and Geoff.
>- Dean Bessey accepted an award for the Canadian Government for their actions
>in allowing Tagish Lake to sink to the bottom of a lake.
>
>We also met Art, our list administrator. We're in excellent hands.
>
>And thank-you-very-much but everyone can now stop barking every time they see
>me.........
>
>Kevin Kichinka
>
>
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>
Received on Tue 12 Feb 2002 12:02:11 PM PST