[meteorite-list] sale of scorpion bight main mass by http://qmig.org

From: Bob WALKER <qwalkra_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:17:38 +1000
Message-ID: <9C97377AF291485C92D518808C9BCE73_at_your0a700f0aaf>

Listoids

I'm slightly overwhelmed by the replies on my proposal to sell a limited
edition numbered micro of Australia's most ferocious meteorite (and possibly
the world's most ferocious meteorite)...

I am still in the throes of a wrestling match to obtain export approval but
hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel... at least I can claim
the moral high ground...

I would still like a thread on the most ferocious named meteorites - one
listoid has come up to bat with Dingo Pup Donga and says but he has lost my
illusions to ever be able to get a micro of it.

I'm damn sure that there are many other ferocious names out there - I'd love
a thread on the names of ferocious meteorites without having to sit for
hours reading each page of the blue book... over to youse

I need to unwind and vent a bit about why I have to sell a few of my prized
finds...

Rewind the clock twenty years or so when a young Robert H**G visited
Australia and rewarded our fair country by raping pillaging and looting and
illegally exporting many Australian chondrites...

Much of this of course has long ago been onsold and most listoids were never
aware that this happened but indeed many advanced collectors hold specimens
of dubious provenance but this is perhaps part and parcel of our hobby...

He wasn't the first and certainly not the last to rape loot pillage and
illegally export was he Blaine...

And where do we stand today... to bring back much of our heritage we have to
wait until these specimens are disposed from private collections and sold on
the open market...

The main masses by now are no more and all that are (mostly) available are
slices thereof indeed if you look hard enough there are oodles of illegally
exported Queensland chondrites for sale by tthe doyens of the meteorite
community aren't there Mike (not Michael or Mike F)

And it still happens today with Tenham any many more and I won't bore you
with who else or what chondrites...

But the majority of stolen chondrites reside largely with the rich and
famous who simply must have with no thought of what is best for the
collecting community or the musem and university community but that is a
rant for another day... our hobby can only survive in a co-operative
approach with the museum and university community otherwise we are doomed as
collectors by the encroaching legislation which slowly overtakes us every
day simply by acts of a few who simply must hop on the first plane to have
something whether it is legal or not...

And do we have an over-reaching professional association that has the best
wishes of the collecting community at heart - perhaps not - unfortunately I
feel that the alleged guardian of our community has a dealers first attitude
and covers up for the sins of its members (who are mostly dealers) - perhaps
it is why so many do not wish to register or join any professional
organisation

I'm happy to receive any flak for the above - its time someone shouted it
out... but all is not well in our community... for me to have to sell my
prized finds to raise the funds to recover stolen chondrites is an overt
symptom tha all is not well in our little community

And you may ask what does our government do - phuckall - it isnt cost
effective or successful to pursue the crimes of long long ago

Over to youse but I stand firm on what I have written

Ta
Received on Fri 12 Dec 2008 03:17:38 AM PST