[meteorite-list] Further precision re "Bessey Specks"

From: tracy latimer <daistiho_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Oct 18 13:20:53 2006
Message-ID: <BAY115-F63BC8AD39E02FD09514DBCA0F0_at_phx.gbl>

For myself, I've always considered a Bessey Speck to be anything smaller
than a match head or grain of rice. Adequate to fill in a space in a
collection where larger samples are unavailable or prohibitively expensive,
but no good for seeing lithologies without a microscope or 10x lens,
minimum.

Tracy Latimer

>From: Michael L Blood <mlblood_at_cox.net>
>To: MexicoDoug <MexicoDoug_at_aim.com>,Adam Hupe <raremeteorites@comcast.net>
>CC: Meteorite List <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Further precision re "Bessey Specks"
>Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 13:25:43 -0700
>
>Doug and all,
> This is closer - but to be truly a "Bessey Speck" a specimen
>must be small enough to VERY, VERY EASILY fit in the smallest
>sized gelatin capsule (they come in a variety of sizes) and should
>be difficult or nearly difficult to see for anyone with less than 20/20
>vision. Also referred to as a "Micro-mini" to differentiate from what Adam
>referred to as a "micromount" which can be as large as 1" X 1" !
>"Micromount" is well established as fitting in a 1 X 1 - though this
>has been "challenged" with the considerably larger, yet still small
>membrane boxes, which I am sure many would consider "micromount"
>as opposed to "macromount" which are ROUGHLY those that would
>fit in a 2" X 2" box.
> Back to Bessey Speck - it MUST be VERY small to qualify,
>and certainly MUCH, MUCH smaller than 1" X 1" !
> I regret I must run off to teaching a couple of classes - this is
>much more interesting to me than arguments.
> Michael
>
>
>on 10/17/06 12:58 PM, MexicoDoug at MexicoDoug_at_aim.com wrote:
>
> > Hello Adam, Listees,
> >
> > Bessey Speck
> > (1) A commercially marketed, submillimeter-sized, granular or
>irregular,
> > intentionally broken petreus meteoritical fragment which collectors
>prize as
> > a token possession of an expensive meteorite or of one with limited
> > distribution, typically used more as a conversational piece or to
> > satisfactorily fill a primal participatatory instinct for collection and
> > coat-tailing on the "wow-effect" of possession of the parent specimen.
> > Compare to "Particle", "Stardust", "Crumb", "Micro" and "Micromount".
> > (2) Any, almost microscopic-sized particle originating from a larger
>(macro)
> > meteorite specimen.
> >
> > Note, I'm not disagreeing with Adam' response to Ed in the sense that
>the
> > term micromount is a term in the toolbox, although I think the word
>particle
> > is more descriptive for most of our uses. I am agreeing with Michael
>Blood
> > that the term Bessey Speck has a place.
> >
> > The questionably honorific term "Bessey Speck" seems like a much more
> > descriptive term to me than micromount for many collectors. To me a
> > "micromount" implies some sort of serious grand plan of scientific
> > investigation or illustration of specific attributes. Size alone
>doesn't
> > count, as much as purpose. For example, Stardust particles are not
> > micromounts unless prepared that way despite Adam's definition, and they
>are
> > not Bessey Specks, though micro-Besseyspeckies are certainly
>hypothetically
> > possible.
> >
> > "Bessey Speck" consideres that not all particles commercially sold in
>venues
> > like eBay find scientific use regardless of who is doing the selling.
>That's
> > where Bessey Speck is a unique and interesting term. Adam's definition
> > clearly has the weighted meaning toward a usually higher "scientific"
>use in
> > observing material properties: appreciation with binocular microscope,
> > better developed crystals, etc... The short comment in that definition
> > "obtaining for less," especially given the profit and pleasure motives
> > between buyers and sellers, really seems quite out of place to me.
>Adam's
> > post wasn't clear, at least for me, if he disagreed with the use of the
>term
> > Bessey Speck or just was offering Ed an alternate (which I definitely
>agree
> > with Adam in doing).
> >
> > I am not comfortable with the term micromount being more properly used
>for
> > specimens purposefully shattered into small bits with a sledge for the
> > unadulterated and pure pleasure of collectors filling holes in their
> > collections, a majority of which are not "better appreciating" their
>samples
> > in a binocular microscope which many don't have nor have too much
>motivation
> > to get.
> >
> > Didn't "Bessey Speck" usage start with Dean's Mars rock sales many years
> > before most of our times? I am trying to remember Kevin Kitchinka's
> > comments in "The Art of Meteorite Collecting" (don't have handy here)
>where
> > an explanation of the etymology of this colorful term was published and
>my
> > Mars' comment references. Bessey Specks, though, gets the point across
>much
> > better for me! It's ll in the intended use and market. While I don'
>think
> > a "Micromount" is an appropiate common sense description for something
>not
> > carefully prepared and mounted to exhibit some characteristic, heck - if
> > their not even carefully mounted...
> >
> > So, unless Dean objects to being immortalized in this fashion, that is
>my 2
> > centavos.
> > Doug
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Adam Hupe" <raremeteorites_at_comcast.net>
> > To: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 2:53 PM
> > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Re: "Bessey Specks"
> >
> >
> > The term micromount has been used for decades to describe this type of
> > specimen.
> >
> > Micromount:
> >
> > Micromount is term used by mineral collectors and rockhounds to describe
> > mineral specimens that are best appreciated using a binocular
>microscope.
> > Micromount specimen collecting has a number of advantages, specimens
>take up
> > less space, rare minerals can be obtained for less and smaller crystals
>are
> > more perfectly developed.
> >
> >
> > All the best,
> >
> > Adam
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "E.P. Grondine" <epgrondine_at_yahoo.com>
> > To: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 7:07 AM
> > Subject: [meteorite-list] Re: "Bessey Specks"
> >
> >
> >> Hi Michael, list -
> >>
> >> I see you list your Bessey Specks as "frags".
> >>
> >> (Your price of $25 seems very fair for Nakla specks,
> >> but I already picked up Mars Bessey Specks for
> >> childrens' gifts at Christmas from Hupe.)
> >>
> >> Clearly, there is a need for a more elegant term than
> >> "Bessey Specks" for these. Does anybody have any
> >> proposals? If not, is Dean(?-stroke damage) Bessey
> >> going to be immortalized by having these formally
> >> named after him?
> >>
> >> Hupe also sent the Bessey specks in small tubes
> >> suitable for young hands, along with 1 nice pair of
> >> cards (BTW I need a second pair of cards for the
> >> second set of tubes, Greg), instead of gelatin
> >> capsules.
> >>
> >> Perhaps microscope slides would be more suitable for
> >> adult use, but as I don't remember any discussion of
> >> these on the list, I'm bringing it up now.
> >>
> >> good hunting -
> >> Ed
> >>
> >> --- Michael L Blood <mlblood_at_cox.net> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Greetings fellow space treasure lovers,
> >>> This post includes a fabulous, large iron
> >>> and an entire new
> >>> page of historic calls.
> >>>
> >>> FIRST:
> >>> A beautiful 6.5 Kg / 14.3 Lb S-A Shrapnel piece that
> >>> appears for all
> >>> the world to be an oriented shield on one side and a
> >>> flat, oriented
> >>> specimen heading to the left in a downward angle on
> >>> the other side.
> >>> This piece includes an custom build display
> >>> stand to facilitate
> >>> a very impressive display of its virtues.
> >>> If no one snaps this up on sale it will go
> >>> into my catalog
> >>> at $3,250- but the first to contact me will take it
> >>> in this sale for 2,750-
> >>> (price includes shipping and insurance inside the
> >>> US)
> >>> This spectacular piece can be seen at:
> >>>
> >>> http://community.webshots.com/album/554884324rEfSPa
> >>>
> >>> SECOND:
> >>> I have set up an entire page dedicated to hammers ­
> >>> meteorites that have
> >>> struck man made objects, animals or humans. This is
> >>> a collection of the
> >>> most impressive of all the recorded meteorite falls
> >>> in history. I have 35
> >>> different recorded falls (including Bessey Specks of
> >>> Sylacauga, Yurtuk and
> >>> Burnwell). About half of the falls can also be found
> >>> elsewhere with diligent
> >>> searching ­ and you will find my prices are as low
> >>> as anyone's. The others
> >>> cannot be had anywhere else. They are priced
> >>> according to cost. This page
> >>> is
> >>> worth checking out even if you don't want to buy
> >>> anything ­ it was 5 years
> >>> in the making and includes historical photos, links,
> >>> etc. See at the URL
> >>> below:
> >>>
> >>> http://www.michaelbloodmeteorites.com/Hammers.html
> >>>
> >>> Pieces on the Hammer page will be marked "SOLD" as
> >>> orders come in ­
> >>> so, if it is still listed when you email me, it is
> >>> available.
> >>>
> >>> PayPal preferred (sent to this email
> >>> address) Visa/Mastercard
> >>> and personal checks gladly accepted.
> >>> Happy Hunting! Michael
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >> __________________________________________________
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> >> ______________________________________________
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> >>
> >
> >
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>
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Received on Wed 18 Oct 2006 01:20:45 PM PDT