Hi Don and list,
Don I fully agree with you regarding the fact that All collectors and
dealers should keep every single piece of provenance from the past history
of who owned and sold the meteorite and I'm sure any Meteorite Dealer in
good conscious would agree with you that provenance is very important and
that we should all keep the paperwork, card or just a slip of paper or
receipt from the previous seller for historical reasons and a good paper
trail.
I've bought many meteorites over the past 12 or so years that I've been
collecting that I wish they had the original paperwork and bought many that
had a copy of a card or label from a museum in Europe or America that was 30
or 40 years old or a new copy of the old card when I wished they had given
me that old original card. Many I've purchased from a previous dealer had
their card and the previous piece of paper, but many have only had a new
card from the person that sold it to me with their card or laminated card.
My best story to go along with your thoughts and mine too was a rare
meteorite I purchased, small, but expensive that I purchased many years ago,
then sold to a well known person, then they sold it to another well known
dealer who sold it to another well known dealer and then I bought this same
exact meteorite back and only got the card from the previous dealer. I
thought it would have been wonderful and very nice if I had gotten back even
my card and some of the old paperwork, but I assume that in our fast paced
time and this age that most are trying to get their names out there and only
want us to buy from them so that is why they are selling it with their new
card so that we remember them and buy from them again and then if we pass it
along then that next person will see their card and contact them for other
meteorites instead of the previous sellers.
I appreciate you bringing this up Don because now and in the future down the
line I am going to try and concentrate more and more on asking any dealer
for the previous paperwork for provenance of the sellers before them. I hope
your post allows all collectors and dealers to hold onto all of the old
paperwork because I think many of us collectors will be looking for old
provenance down the road, and I know that I certainly will be demanding it.
Have a great day and may a wonderful rare meteorite fall in your yard and
all of our fellow collector's yards.
Brian Cox
Message: 9
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:22:08 -0500
From: "Don Merchant" <dmerc...@rochester.rr.com>
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Ebay heads up - Tissint/Scarborough
To: "Count Deiro" <countde...@earthlink.net>, "jason utas"
<jasonu...@gmail.com>, "Meteorite-list"
<meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
Cc: Don Merchant <dmerc...@rochester.rr.com>
Message-ID: <000301cceb34$cd2ce500$6501a8c0@donaldmerchant>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
Hi Count and Kudos' to you! You bring up some very real and serious points.
I hope I don't upset anyone with this post. I have this huge pet peeve of
those that sell meteorites without listing, mentioning and or providing a
Provenance on meteorites whether it be on eBay or their Websites.You don't
go out and purchase a used car without asking for a car fax or asking
questions before purchasing it, and so the same should also be done when
interested in purchasing a meteorite from anyone, be it eBay or Dealer
Website or any other form of Auctions. I refuse to purchase any meteorite
from anyone without this provenance or at the lease asking the Seller on a
meteorites history. As I have said before, meteorites don't grow on trees!
They arrived in the Sellers possession from somewhere and or from someone
other then those meteorites that have been found. Those meteorites found
would most likely and better have been sent to a lab for testing and
verification so as to start some form of provenance. I highly recommend to
ALL Sellers/Collectors and Dealers to inquire the validity of meteorites
they intend to purchase. SAVE this provenance label or paper of history so
the next future buyer can have a copy of it for his or her records. I find
it sloppy professionalism to those who can not provide provenance time and
time again on meteorites they sell. Though an ID card helps...the truth is
anyone can make up an ID card. A provenance can be traced to the former
owner and more questions can then be brought up on the specimens validity.
Consider it a blood line so to speak or family tree! Hope I did not offend
anyone with my views. I am just trying to protect all of you and your
collections including mine by enacting professional organized record keeping
practices.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Count Deiro" <countde...@earthlink.net>
To: "jason utas" <jasonu...@gmail.com>; "Meteorite-list"
<meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 10:47 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Ebay heads up - Tissint/Scarborough
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