[meteorite-list] The Ward-Coonley Catalogue of Meteorites - 1904

From: Sterling K. Webb <sterling_k_webb_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2010 23:35:37 -0500
Message-ID: <EBCB80F0670B4B0A9E7ACE046E754E18_at_ATARIENGINE2>

Dear List,

    For those interested in historical meteorites and
historical meteorite collections, the Third Catalogue
of Henry A. Ward's Collection of Meteorites, is available
as a scanned PDF file at the following location, free
of charge, to download:

http://www.archive.org/download/catalogueofwardc00warduoft/catalogueofwardc00warduoft.pdf

    Ward is a famous name in meteorites. The Catalogue
contains lots of interesting tidbits, full histories of the falls,
many photographic plates, essays, etc.

    Ward was the largest merchant of "natural history
objects," including meteorites, in the world at that time,
a true Meteorite Man.

    I quote from the Preface:

    "The writer of this notice, Mr. Henry A. Ward, had in the course
of travel and business activity been largely interested in several
branches of nature, among which were meteorites.He made two large
collections of these objects, one of which about 170 falls formed
the basis of the present meteorite collection of the Field Columbian
Museum of Chicago. The other some 200 falls went to enrich the fine
Clarence S. Bement cabinet of these objects.
    The present collection, which has outstripped them all, was
commenced in 1894 with a basis of a few score of choice falls which
had been retained from previous transactions. For six subsequent
years, during which Mr. Ward collected actively by purchase and
exchange at home and in extensive travel abroad, the collection
was so increased that in 1900 its first catalogue was issued, with
enumerations and a short description of each of its falls. A second
list followed in the ensuing year. We now (May, 1904) follow with
this third catalogue.of 603 falls, weight 2495 Kilogrammes,"

    Anybody here got a collection that weighs almost
two-and-a-half metric tons?


Sterling K. Webb
Received on Tue 22 Jun 2010 12:35:37 AM PDT