Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 169 - after Tucson part 2
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 169
March 3, 2015
Dear Collectors,
Here is the second “after Tucson” list. This may be my only offering this month as I will likely be out of town when the next one should go out
BILANGA, Burkina Faso: (Diogenite). Fell October 27, 1999. Tkw = 25+ kilograms.
This is simply an “add the name to your collection cheaply” type specimen. It consists of a few fragments/ crumbs (around 4mm x 3mm) of this meteorite in a capsule in a labeled plastic box.
Crumbs in a capsule - $5
GAO, Burkina Faso: (H5). Fell March 5, 1960.
Here is a nice end piece that comes with two labels. One is the original Robert Haag paper label (the previous owner bought the specimen from him in 1996) and the other is a metal, stands up on its own “GAO-GUENIE” label (I won’t take the time to go into what I believe concerning that “name” right now). Anyway, it is a nice piece. The interior is lighter than most (and shows lots of metal) and back has quite a bit of obvious fusion crust (2/3 or so).
32.4 gram end piece – 42mm x 30mm x 15mm - $80
IMPACT BRECCIA: Ries Crater, Germany.
Here are two similar sized pieces of this interesting material. It is mostly a light gray rock but contains fragments of many different materials. One of the more interesting fragment inclusions are the frothy black glass pieces. These come with their original Bethany Sciences “Certificate of Authenticity”.
22.8 grams – two pieces - $40 -SOLD
MOLDAVITE, Czeck Republic.
This is an interesting shaped piece. It is oblong in general but has a knob hanging off of one end (making it the perfect pendant shape). Overall this is what I’d call a medium grade. It is not chipped and shows nice surface features, though they are not real deep (like the high end Besednice pieces). Not sure where the previous owner got this one. It may have been from me (as many of his pieces were). The card is the one I use, but then that is one that I “stole’ (with permission) from Robert Haag many years ago.
6.1 gram complete individual – 35mm x 22mm x 7mm - $35 -SOLD
SIKHOTE-ALIN, Russia: Coarsest octahedrite (IIAB). Fell February 12, 1947.
Here is the “mate” to the 4kg complete crusted individual I offered earlier. In fact, it was consigned by the same person. This sits nicely on its own and shows a strong, bright etch (something I have never seemed to master brining out in my etching attempts). The back- side is fully and deeply thumb-printed to the point of showing some interesting shape features, though the crust clearly has been fairly heavily cleaned (but then who wants to cut up a pristine crusted individual?).
2265.1 gram end piece – 135mm x 95mm x 50mm - $4500
SLATON (b), Texas: Coarsest octahedrite (IIAB). Found 1940’s. Tkw = 6 kilograms.
Here is an item that I am offering before sending it back home to its owner in Texas. This interesting meteorite has a bit of a controversy attached to it. Though it has been heavily studied and is fully accepted in the Meteoritical Bulletin (Link here, I hope: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?sea=Slaton+%28b%29&sfor=names&ants=&falls=&valids=&stype=contains&lrec=50&map=ge&browse=&country=All&srt=name&categ=All&mblist=All&rect=&phot=&snew=0&pnt=Normal%20table&code=58497 )
there are some that believe that this is really a miss-placed Campo. The photo I have seen of it as a whole piece don’t argue against this (looks oddly orange and rust scaled – like an old salt bog Campo might look after years in a humid environment). However, the interior certainly looks completely different than any cut and etched Campos I have see. The etch on this has a strange taffy pulled look to it, something I don’t recall ever seeing on an etched Campo. In fact, the etch looks more like an etched piece of Sikhote-Alin shrapnel than a Campo. It seems that this particular meteorite has been in a serious collision at some point. As I don’t think there is a crater associated with this find (at least none is known) so I’d guess it happened in space. Also, this slice shows some silicate inclusions. One is fairly large (around 17mm x 9mm). It shows obvious orangish brown silicate minerals with no real graphite or troilite surrounding it. Both are features I don’t recall seeing in Campo (Campo generally has dark geenish black silicates that are usually surrounded by things like troilite and graphite). Anyway, an interesting (but certainly NOT cheap) “new” discovery.
89 gram complete slice – 150mm x 10mm x 3mm - $2500 -SOLD
TATAHOUINE, Tunisia: (Diogenite). Fell June 27, 1931.
This is strange stuff. It blew apart low in the atmosphere leaving mostly small waxy green fragments. Most believe that these pieces have no fusion crust. Careful inspection reveals that some do have very small (1mm or so) patches of black crust hiding on them. This piece is among those. This has a lot of smooth ablated looking surfaces but only a few tiny black patches of actual fusion crust. This is a piece the previous owner bought form me many years ago.
2.7 gram fragment with some tiny fusion crust patches – 15mm x 10mm x 9mm - $35 -SOLD
Wednesday, 4 March 2015
Tuesday, 24 February 2015
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 168 - after Tucson stuff
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 168 - after Tucson stuff
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 168
February 24, 2015
Dear Collectors,
Here is the first of possibly many offerings of stuff from collections I have had and some I recently picked up. There were two main collections. One was from a collector that lived here in Colorado and sold his collection a bit over a year ago. I had taken it to a number of shows and offered it as the “cigar box collection” as it was neatly stored/displayed in two cigar boxes. As usual with a “collection lot” people looked it over and saw things they wanted, things that they didn’t and so on. The result is that no one wanted the entire lot, so I have broken it up for listing here (and future lists). Another collection came to me just days before I left for Tucson. It contained something over 50 specimens. I sold a few in Tucson but brought quite a few back as well. Anyway, these collections (when I am done cataloging and typing them up) , along with a few miscellaneous things picked up at the show, will likely make up most of my e-mail offerings for the next few months (though one, likely late April or early May will be the e-mail version of my mailed list, once I figure out just what I’ll put on that. No clue at the moment though).
ADMIRE, Kansas: (Pallasite). Found 1881.
Here is one of the Robert Haag original offering pieces of this meteorite (this specimen still has its original Robert Haag information card with it). I remember when Robert got this thing (from Glenn Huss – well, he was the in between person anyway). I also remember the “excitement” not long after. This stuff is probably the prettiest meteorite in the world, and Robert’s piece was no exception. However, this meteorite is also among the very most rust prone and, again, Robert’s piece was no exception. This is a part slice from those early days (the previous owner bought it from Robert in 1986). It still has the slice shape (it did NOT turn into an orange goo like I some pieces do) and has lots of olivine crystals visible. In this particular case, the story and original label are probably the most important parts of this specimen.
38 gram oxidized part slice – 52mm x 30mm x 6mm - $50 -SOLD
CANYON DIABLO, Arizona: Coarse octahedrite (IAB).
Here is an end piece that actually looks like a wire brushed block that had an end cut off. I etched this one myself (some years ago) and am sorry to say that it just didn’t turn out deep enough. For some reason, I just don’t get the vibrant deep etch others seem to be able to get (I end up with a dark gray mess when I have tried to use stronger acid solution or a bunch more time). I use the methods that Glenn Huss showed me close to 30 years ago. I guess I need to go back to school for etching. Anyway, nothing exciting about this piece at all. Just a decent paperweight with an etched face for a price that is hard to beat.
548.1 gram etched end piece – 48mm x 45mm x 42mm - $400
DALGARANGA, Australia: (Mesosiderite). Found 1923. Tkw = 10+ kilograms.
This is a specimen the previous owner got form me back in January of 1994. This is a complete, natural flat little piece that is clearly an internally fresh specimen (I know there were a good number of oxidized pieces of this meteorite floating around years ago). If someone where really skilled or brave, they probably cut this into two nice fresh mesosiderite end pieces (I think a wire saw would be required though). Nice and rare piece.
2.95 gram natural individual – 20mm x 17mm x 3mm - $75
GIBEON, Namibia: Fine octahedrite (IVA). Found 1836.
This is a piece I sold the previous owner a long time ago. I think it was one of the very earliest pieces I had to offer. The piece is fairly thick by today’s standards and is only etched on one side (the back side still shows saw marks). It is a nice piece none the less. It has a neat sculpted shape, the etch is nice and the natural edge (over ½ of the edge) was only lightly brushed so it has a pleasing dark brown color to it. This still has my original sticker label on the piece and comes with its original (now folded) info card.
40.1 gram etched part slice – 50mm x 27mm x 5mm - $75
INDOCHINITE, Thailand.
This is a nice but fairly typical specimen. It shows pitting on one side and a single large thumb-print on the other. Not sure where the previous owner picked this up originally as I don’t recognize the information card that comes with it.
23.3 gram individual – 37mm x 30mm x 15mm - $5
JUANCHENGE, China: (H5). Fell February 15, 1997. Tkw = about 100 kilograms.
This is a technically complete individual I sold the previous owner probably not long after this stuff started showing up. I say technically complete as it has an area (20mm x 12mm) that looks broken. Closer inspection though shows that it is clearly a late atmospheric break. There is a little roll-over effect to the crust around this “broken” areas edge that could have only formed if this piece was still falling fast enough to be forming crust. The broken area shows a little slickenside and has its high points crusted as well. This does show a little browning to the crust so it was not an immediate recovery or was one that got soaked in water to bring up the weight being sold to the buyers (simply soaking a stone meteorite in water will substantially increase its weight. I don’t recommend this as an increasing sales results tactic though).
12.4 gram complete individual – 25mm x 20mm x 12mm - $70
SIKHOTE-ALIN, Russia: Coarsest Octahedrite (IIAB). Fell February 12, 1947.
This beautiful specimen is a consigned item that get left with me at the show. I almost sold it a couple times. It does seem expensive but it is well priced considering today’s Sikhote-Alin market. This is a really nice completely thumb-printed oriented specimen (though its orientation is not super obvious). This has had some light cleaning work at some point in the past, but not much. Most of this retains its original crust color and texture. A museum quality piece (yep, a museum was, and may still be considering this piece when they saw it at the show).
3978.65 gram complete crusted individual – 120mm x 110mm x 80mm - $8500
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 168
February 24, 2015
Dear Collectors,
Here is the first of possibly many offerings of stuff from collections I have had and some I recently picked up. There were two main collections. One was from a collector that lived here in Colorado and sold his collection a bit over a year ago. I had taken it to a number of shows and offered it as the “cigar box collection” as it was neatly stored/displayed in two cigar boxes. As usual with a “collection lot” people looked it over and saw things they wanted, things that they didn’t and so on. The result is that no one wanted the entire lot, so I have broken it up for listing here (and future lists). Another collection came to me just days before I left for Tucson. It contained something over 50 specimens. I sold a few in Tucson but brought quite a few back as well. Anyway, these collections (when I am done cataloging and typing them up) , along with a few miscellaneous things picked up at the show, will likely make up most of my e-mail offerings for the next few months (though one, likely late April or early May will be the e-mail version of my mailed list, once I figure out just what I’ll put on that. No clue at the moment though).
ADMIRE, Kansas: (Pallasite). Found 1881.
Here is one of the Robert Haag original offering pieces of this meteorite (this specimen still has its original Robert Haag information card with it). I remember when Robert got this thing (from Glenn Huss – well, he was the in between person anyway). I also remember the “excitement” not long after. This stuff is probably the prettiest meteorite in the world, and Robert’s piece was no exception. However, this meteorite is also among the very most rust prone and, again, Robert’s piece was no exception. This is a part slice from those early days (the previous owner bought it from Robert in 1986). It still has the slice shape (it did NOT turn into an orange goo like I some pieces do) and has lots of olivine crystals visible. In this particular case, the story and original label are probably the most important parts of this specimen.
38 gram oxidized part slice – 52mm x 30mm x 6mm - $50 -SOLD
CANYON DIABLO, Arizona: Coarse octahedrite (IAB).
Here is an end piece that actually looks like a wire brushed block that had an end cut off. I etched this one myself (some years ago) and am sorry to say that it just didn’t turn out deep enough. For some reason, I just don’t get the vibrant deep etch others seem to be able to get (I end up with a dark gray mess when I have tried to use stronger acid solution or a bunch more time). I use the methods that Glenn Huss showed me close to 30 years ago. I guess I need to go back to school for etching. Anyway, nothing exciting about this piece at all. Just a decent paperweight with an etched face for a price that is hard to beat.
548.1 gram etched end piece – 48mm x 45mm x 42mm - $400
DALGARANGA, Australia: (Mesosiderite). Found 1923. Tkw = 10+ kilograms.
This is a specimen the previous owner got form me back in January of 1994. This is a complete, natural flat little piece that is clearly an internally fresh specimen (I know there were a good number of oxidized pieces of this meteorite floating around years ago). If someone where really skilled or brave, they probably cut this into two nice fresh mesosiderite end pieces (I think a wire saw would be required though). Nice and rare piece.
2.95 gram natural individual – 20mm x 17mm x 3mm - $75
GIBEON, Namibia: Fine octahedrite (IVA). Found 1836.
This is a piece I sold the previous owner a long time ago. I think it was one of the very earliest pieces I had to offer. The piece is fairly thick by today’s standards and is only etched on one side (the back side still shows saw marks). It is a nice piece none the less. It has a neat sculpted shape, the etch is nice and the natural edge (over ½ of the edge) was only lightly brushed so it has a pleasing dark brown color to it. This still has my original sticker label on the piece and comes with its original (now folded) info card.
40.1 gram etched part slice – 50mm x 27mm x 5mm - $75
INDOCHINITE, Thailand.
This is a nice but fairly typical specimen. It shows pitting on one side and a single large thumb-print on the other. Not sure where the previous owner picked this up originally as I don’t recognize the information card that comes with it.
23.3 gram individual – 37mm x 30mm x 15mm - $5
JUANCHENGE, China: (H5). Fell February 15, 1997. Tkw = about 100 kilograms.
This is a technically complete individual I sold the previous owner probably not long after this stuff started showing up. I say technically complete as it has an area (20mm x 12mm) that looks broken. Closer inspection though shows that it is clearly a late atmospheric break. There is a little roll-over effect to the crust around this “broken” areas edge that could have only formed if this piece was still falling fast enough to be forming crust. The broken area shows a little slickenside and has its high points crusted as well. This does show a little browning to the crust so it was not an immediate recovery or was one that got soaked in water to bring up the weight being sold to the buyers (simply soaking a stone meteorite in water will substantially increase its weight. I don’t recommend this as an increasing sales results tactic though).
12.4 gram complete individual – 25mm x 20mm x 12mm - $70
SIKHOTE-ALIN, Russia: Coarsest Octahedrite (IIAB). Fell February 12, 1947.
This beautiful specimen is a consigned item that get left with me at the show. I almost sold it a couple times. It does seem expensive but it is well priced considering today’s Sikhote-Alin market. This is a really nice completely thumb-printed oriented specimen (though its orientation is not super obvious). This has had some light cleaning work at some point in the past, but not much. Most of this retains its original crust color and texture. A museum quality piece (yep, a museum was, and may still be considering this piece when they saw it at the show).
3978.65 gram complete crusted individual – 120mm x 110mm x 80mm - $8500
Tuesday, 20 January 2015
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 167 - last of the Novak collection
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 167 - last of the Novak collection
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 167
January 20, 2015
Dear Collectors,
I hadn’t planned on doing a list today, but then noticed that I have a week yet before I leave for Tucson (gads, I REALLY need to start getting ready). Here is the last of the Novak collection material. Now this will certainly be my last e-mail offering until late February or maybe even early March.
BRENHAM, Kansas: (Pallasite).
This is actually an etched part slice of a piece that is all iron (common in Seymchan but fairly rare for Brenham). It was cut from a 69kg piece that was found on October 30, 2005. This is a nearly square piece with one natural edge has a nice etch though not as strong (deep) as I’ve seen on some pieces.
74.1 gram etched iron part slice – 50mm x 50mm x 4mm - $125
CAMPO del CIELO, Argentina: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1576.
The way this one looked when I got it, I almost could believe that the piece was truly found nearly 440 years ago. It was pretty ratty. Actually a bit of wire-brushing is all it really needed. This is clearly one of the “old” Campos but I don’t think it is as bad as many of those turned out to be. Many would completely break apart after awhile. This one merely had surface rust and only a few fragments of any size that came off while cleaning. This certainly is not a specimen for people living in Florida but it is a nice cheap “larger” iron piece (and priced about $60 cheaper than Mr. Novak paid for it years ago).
1428 gram individual – 120mm x 55mm x 50mm - $115
DRONINO, Russia: Ataxite, Ni-poor (ungrouped). Found July 2000. Tkw = around 3000 kilograms.
This is a “natural” (in shape, it has been wire brushed) individual. It had a fairly good layer of rust on it when I got it but it cleaned up easily with wire brushing. One side of this piece is quite smooth and resembles pretty much any other wire-brushed meteorite. The other side though shows a number of fairly large pockets of softer (likely sulfide) material. Not a bad hand specimen as it is now but it should be stored away from moisture as much as possible.
883.1 gram individual – 140mm x 58mm x 25mm - $400
GHUBARA, Oman: (L5). Found 1954.
I know that this is officially labeled as just an L5 but it is really far more interesting than that. Years ago, when I had this material to sell (including this piece, Gordon got it from me) it was discovered that this meteorite consists of fragments of L5 material in an L3 host! But it gets even better. Just recently (within the past few months anyway) I read a paper on Ghubara in Meteoritics and Planetary Science (the technical journal that comes with your Meteoritical Society membership). It now says that Ghubara is a regolith (surface of its parent body) breccia. BUT it is not “just” an ordinary regolith breccia but one that was from the surface of the ORIGINAL L-chondrite parent body. So, this meteorite formed on the surface of the L parent before it got smashed apart (and showered the Earth with a huge number of meteorites) around 500 million years ago. Kind of neat. Kind of wish I had gotten more of this stuff (or sold off less of it) back when it was readily available. This is a wonderful obviously complete individual. It does not really show any fusion crust any more, but it has the complete meteorite rounded shape with the occasional thumbprint.
1495 gram complete individual – 130mm x 90mm x 80mm - SOLD
LIBYAN DESERT GLASS:
This is an “individual” that has one small (10mm x 8mm) end chipped. The remainder is obvious original surfaces. This is not the clearest of specimens (and is priced accordingly). It looks fairly foggy looking at it when it is just sitting on a table but it is interesting when held up to a light. Light passes through it quite nicely. The bubbles in the piece have an obvious layering to them. One end o the piece (the end with a chip) is distinctly more yellow as well.
46.0 gram individual – 50mm x 30mm x 25mm - $70
MOLDAVITE:
This is a really nice little piece that has been mounted (glued with silicone I think) to a small wood display base. The specimen is of very good quality, showing nice shape and surface features. I can’t be sure of the weight exactly, but I am certain that it is 6 grams or a bit over.
About 6 gram individual on wood display base – 30mm x 15mm x 7mm - $45
NANTAN, China: Medium octahedrite (IAB). Found 1958.
Here is a nice fist-sized piece that I can pretty much guarantee won’t rust. That is because this is pretty much already all rust. This is a nice solid piece of the oxide material from this fall. This is like the Canyon Diablo material – a mix of magnetite, hematite and other oxides and hydroxides so there is no metal left to rust further. I am NOT going to cut this open to be sure that that is fully the case in this piece though. This one required absolutely nothing to get it ready for market. It is just as I got it. It has a nice yellow, brown and even some red coloration and is actually a nice “large” display piece.
1069 gram oxide individual – 125mm x 90mm x 55mm - $100
NWA unstudied:
This, in my opinion, was the nicer of the two “large” NWAs Gordon had in his collection. This is quite solid and I can tell it would be quite fresh internally. I may end up cutting it. It looks like it has a couple interesting inclusions showing on the surface so it mighty be pretty interesting internally. This almost looks like it could be an 869 but its not quite exact. Regardless, it is a nice hand specimen. It looks to have something over 50% of its exterior being fusion crust (though much of it is somewhat wind polished). The remainder is secondary crust or old breaks (no fresh breaks on this piece).
876.7 gram individual – 90mm x 80mm x 50mm - $260
SANTA CATHERINA, Brazil: Ni-rich ataxite (ungrouped). Found 1875. Tkw = over 7tons.
I got two pieces of this in the Novak collection. One is an end piece and the other is a complete “individual”. Unfortunately, they are both oxide pieces. But then, I think this is the only way I have ever seen this meteorite available. The outer surfaces of theses are orange/ brown with some darker veining and, the “complete” piece having obvious lighter colored fragments embedded in it. The interior of the cut piece shows a dark gray/ brown magnetite and limonite mix. From the label (that I am putting with the larger piece) and the painted XZZ mark on the end piece, I am pretty certain that Gordon got these from me when I was selling the Tom Palmer collection many years ago.
a) 74.3 gram end piece – 55mm x 35mm x 25mm - $70
b) 119.7 gram “individual” – 55mm x 40mm x 30mm - $100
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 167
January 20, 2015
Dear Collectors,
I hadn’t planned on doing a list today, but then noticed that I have a week yet before I leave for Tucson (gads, I REALLY need to start getting ready). Here is the last of the Novak collection material. Now this will certainly be my last e-mail offering until late February or maybe even early March.
BRENHAM, Kansas: (Pallasite).
This is actually an etched part slice of a piece that is all iron (common in Seymchan but fairly rare for Brenham). It was cut from a 69kg piece that was found on October 30, 2005. This is a nearly square piece with one natural edge has a nice etch though not as strong (deep) as I’ve seen on some pieces.
74.1 gram etched iron part slice – 50mm x 50mm x 4mm - $125
CAMPO del CIELO, Argentina: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1576.
The way this one looked when I got it, I almost could believe that the piece was truly found nearly 440 years ago. It was pretty ratty. Actually a bit of wire-brushing is all it really needed. This is clearly one of the “old” Campos but I don’t think it is as bad as many of those turned out to be. Many would completely break apart after awhile. This one merely had surface rust and only a few fragments of any size that came off while cleaning. This certainly is not a specimen for people living in Florida but it is a nice cheap “larger” iron piece (and priced about $60 cheaper than Mr. Novak paid for it years ago).
1428 gram individual – 120mm x 55mm x 50mm - $115
DRONINO, Russia: Ataxite, Ni-poor (ungrouped). Found July 2000. Tkw = around 3000 kilograms.
This is a “natural” (in shape, it has been wire brushed) individual. It had a fairly good layer of rust on it when I got it but it cleaned up easily with wire brushing. One side of this piece is quite smooth and resembles pretty much any other wire-brushed meteorite. The other side though shows a number of fairly large pockets of softer (likely sulfide) material. Not a bad hand specimen as it is now but it should be stored away from moisture as much as possible.
883.1 gram individual – 140mm x 58mm x 25mm - $400
GHUBARA, Oman: (L5). Found 1954.
I know that this is officially labeled as just an L5 but it is really far more interesting than that. Years ago, when I had this material to sell (including this piece, Gordon got it from me) it was discovered that this meteorite consists of fragments of L5 material in an L3 host! But it gets even better. Just recently (within the past few months anyway) I read a paper on Ghubara in Meteoritics and Planetary Science (the technical journal that comes with your Meteoritical Society membership). It now says that Ghubara is a regolith (surface of its parent body) breccia. BUT it is not “just” an ordinary regolith breccia but one that was from the surface of the ORIGINAL L-chondrite parent body. So, this meteorite formed on the surface of the L parent before it got smashed apart (and showered the Earth with a huge number of meteorites) around 500 million years ago. Kind of neat. Kind of wish I had gotten more of this stuff (or sold off less of it) back when it was readily available. This is a wonderful obviously complete individual. It does not really show any fusion crust any more, but it has the complete meteorite rounded shape with the occasional thumbprint.
1495 gram complete individual – 130mm x 90mm x 80mm - SOLD
LIBYAN DESERT GLASS:
This is an “individual” that has one small (10mm x 8mm) end chipped. The remainder is obvious original surfaces. This is not the clearest of specimens (and is priced accordingly). It looks fairly foggy looking at it when it is just sitting on a table but it is interesting when held up to a light. Light passes through it quite nicely. The bubbles in the piece have an obvious layering to them. One end o the piece (the end with a chip) is distinctly more yellow as well.
46.0 gram individual – 50mm x 30mm x 25mm - $70
MOLDAVITE:
This is a really nice little piece that has been mounted (glued with silicone I think) to a small wood display base. The specimen is of very good quality, showing nice shape and surface features. I can’t be sure of the weight exactly, but I am certain that it is 6 grams or a bit over.
About 6 gram individual on wood display base – 30mm x 15mm x 7mm - $45
NANTAN, China: Medium octahedrite (IAB). Found 1958.
Here is a nice fist-sized piece that I can pretty much guarantee won’t rust. That is because this is pretty much already all rust. This is a nice solid piece of the oxide material from this fall. This is like the Canyon Diablo material – a mix of magnetite, hematite and other oxides and hydroxides so there is no metal left to rust further. I am NOT going to cut this open to be sure that that is fully the case in this piece though. This one required absolutely nothing to get it ready for market. It is just as I got it. It has a nice yellow, brown and even some red coloration and is actually a nice “large” display piece.
1069 gram oxide individual – 125mm x 90mm x 55mm - $100
NWA unstudied:
This, in my opinion, was the nicer of the two “large” NWAs Gordon had in his collection. This is quite solid and I can tell it would be quite fresh internally. I may end up cutting it. It looks like it has a couple interesting inclusions showing on the surface so it mighty be pretty interesting internally. This almost looks like it could be an 869 but its not quite exact. Regardless, it is a nice hand specimen. It looks to have something over 50% of its exterior being fusion crust (though much of it is somewhat wind polished). The remainder is secondary crust or old breaks (no fresh breaks on this piece).
876.7 gram individual – 90mm x 80mm x 50mm - $260
SANTA CATHERINA, Brazil: Ni-rich ataxite (ungrouped). Found 1875. Tkw = over 7tons.
I got two pieces of this in the Novak collection. One is an end piece and the other is a complete “individual”. Unfortunately, they are both oxide pieces. But then, I think this is the only way I have ever seen this meteorite available. The outer surfaces of theses are orange/ brown with some darker veining and, the “complete” piece having obvious lighter colored fragments embedded in it. The interior of the cut piece shows a dark gray/ brown magnetite and limonite mix. From the label (that I am putting with the larger piece) and the painted XZZ mark on the end piece, I am pretty certain that Gordon got these from me when I was selling the Tom Palmer collection many years ago.
a) 74.3 gram end piece – 55mm x 35mm x 25mm - $70
b) 119.7 gram “individual” – 55mm x 40mm x 30mm - $100
Tuesday, 6 January 2015
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 166 - New also mailed offering
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 166 - New also mailed offering
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
……………………………………………………………..LIST 166
January 6, 2015
Happy New Year! Here is the e-mail version of my recent mailed list.
Tucson show info: I will be gone from January 27th through about February 18th (yep, this show has me on the road for far too loooong). For the show dates I am at my usual spot – Room 134 of Ramada Limited (665 N. Freeway for those with GPS). I should have my room open mid-morning of January 31st. At this point, I plan on staying for the bitter end – February 14th (I have found that I generally do quite well the last few days while the “main show” is open). I’ll open most mornings at 10AM and should be open most evenings until around 9:30 to 10PM – later (within reason) if people are visiting/ hanging around.
TOLUCA, Mexico: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1776.
I don’t normally offer mixed bags of an item like this, but I somehow ended up with an assortment of pieces the past few months (after not really having any for a few years). The smaller pieces here are pretty much “natural” (uncut or brushed) fragments that are mostly oxide (though some certainly still have an appreciable amount of metal in them). These are cheap and a good way for someone to add a small sample of this famous (and relatively hard to get in small pieces) meteorite to their collection (most buyers will actually get a piece somewhat larger than the listed ones on these first 2 items). One of the heavier pieces is obviously still all metal as it has a polished face. The slice is etched on both sides. The largest individual has a Monig number painted on it (M8.33) – the only such Toluca I have ever seen.
a) 9.7 gram “oxide” fragment – 22mm x 15mm x 12mm - $5
b) 20.5 gram “oxide” fragment – 25mm x 24mm x 15mm - $10
c) 76.0 gram “oxide” fragment – 45mm x 40mm x 23mm - $50
d) 100.0 gram etched part slice (one cut edge) – 80mm x 60mm x 3mm - $100
e) 105.7 gram metallic fragment/ individual with polished face – 40mm x 30mm x 22mm - $65
f) 479g brushed metallic individual with Monig number – 90mm x 45mm x 35mm - $400
NWA 7899: Ordinary chondrite (L6), W1. Found before September 2011. Tkw = 420.2 grams.
This is one I wish I had a lot more of. The outside of this egg-shaped piece showed some black lines indicating that some shock veining was present. On a cut surface though, this one makes you say “wow!” It is among the very best breccias I have seen. It has light/medium gray and tan clasts (of all sizes) in a medium to dark gray (shocked) background. This is truly a great display specimen for getting the concept of brecciation across. I have ONLY this piece right now. I have the other half of this stone yet (planned to make it a collection piece) and may end up having to try to cut some slices off of it sometime later (it’ll have to be wire sawed. It was not easy to split this egg with the equipment I have and I’d probably only mess the thing up if I tried).
121.6 gram end piece – 80mm x 60mm x 15mm - $600
NWA 8185: Ordinary chondrite. (L5), S2, W3. Found before February 2009. Tkw = 793 grams.
This is yet another one of those offered to me as “primitive” but turned out not to be (thankfully, I think I have finally figured out how to pick out the real primitive achondrites with my XRF, at least with a cut surface). That part did not surprise me. The L-type did though. This has the medium gray color, somewhat porous texture typical for the H5s and H6s these “possible primitives” usually turn out to be. The research work though clearly showed that this is indeed an L. The interior shows many light gray somewhat angular to rounded clasts (but no real distinct chondrules) in a gray with hints of green matrix. Kind of different.
1) Slices:
a) 8.5 grams - 25mm x 22mm x 4mm - $15
b) 16.1 grams - 40mm x 32mm x 5mm - $25
c) 37.4 grams - 70mm x 60mm x 3mm - $55 – complete slice.
2) End piece:
a) 214.5 grams - 70mm x 57mm x 35mm - $300 – Main mass.
NWA 5421: (LL3.7), cluster chondrite. Found 2007. Tkw = 2.2 kilogrmas.
This is one Matt and I shared some years ago but I sold mine out before it got to any type of public offering. This is because of its amazing appearance. Most of this is nothing but a mass of large distorted chondrules tightly packed together with virtually no matrix what so ever. I got an extra chunk from Matt a couple years ago and sent it to be wire sawed, as it was an odd size and shape and wouldn’t fit into my saw. Thankfully, this took a long time to get done (around a year and a half I think). In the meantime, I learned about “cluster chondrites” from an article in Meteoritics and Planetary Sciences that described these things and had pictures of NWA (5205) as an example that exactly matched my meteorite. “Cluster chondrites” are not really a new class but usually found as small inclusions in other type 3 stones (this particular meteorite just happens to be pretty much one gigantic such “clast”). They are extremely low in matrix, composed of over 80% chondrules (the highest of all meteorites). These chondrules are deformed and indicate that they accreted while still hot hours to days after forming (which hints that they may have formed by low velocity impacts between semi-molten bodies). These “rocks” are believed to likely represent pieces of THE primary accretionary rocks (first solidified rocks that were often then later broken up and mixed into later chondrites).
Wish I knew about all of this when I first got it. I don’t have a lot of this left now. These pieces are pretty much all the “cluster chondrite” texture. Only the large full slice has zones of finer texture (40%).
1) Slices:
a) 1.3 grams - 15mm x 10mm x 2.5mm - $25
b) 2.6 grams - 23mm x 12mm x 3mm - $50
c) 5.5 grams - 28mm x 22mm x 3mm - $100
d) 10.5 grams - 40mm x 30mm x 3mm - $190
e) 20.3 grams - 52mm x 48mm x 2.5mm - $350 – ½ slice
f) 92.6 grams - 115mm x 70mm x 4mm - $1350 – complete slice.
NWA 6950: (Lunar (gabbro). Found June 2011. Tkw = 1649 grams.
A single stone that was broken in eight pieces was found (reportedly) near the Algeria/ Mali border. This material turned out to be a Lunar meteorite with a cumulate texture. This was formed by crystals solidifying and settling out of a magma of basaltic composition that was cooling and solidifying beneath the Lunar surface. These pieces are all part slices (broken from larger slices). They are mostly a mottled mix of light tan and pale green fragments/ crystals but some piece have the occasional thin black shock vein. All are in a labeled plastic box for safety (this is mildly crumbly material) and display.
1) Slices:
a) .15 grams - 8mm x 4mm x 1.5mm - $75
b) .28 grams - 12mm x 5mm x 1.5mm - $140
c) .50 grams - 15mm x 8mm x 1.5mm - $250
d) 1.04 grams - 16mm x 13mm x 1.5mm - $495
e) 2.01 grams - 27mm x 15mm x 1.5mm - $900
f) 5.33 grams - 40mm x 30mm x 1.5mm - $2100
HUCKITTA, Australia: (Pallasite). Found 1937.
Here are a few cut fragments I re-discovered while doing inventory last month. Looking through my records, it seems that I have not offered any of this meteorite on a mailed list for over a decade (however, I have offered the occasional piece on e-mailed offerings over the years). Anyway, these are the usual oxidized pieces that show dark olivine in a blue gray (magnetite and hematite) matrix. I once had quite a lot of this meteorite (8 kg or so), but this is the last of it and this material has gotten fairly scarce these days. I don’t really foresee being able to obtain any sizable quantity of this meteorite in the future (I don’t know of anybody that has some). So, grab one of these if you have been wanting to add this name to your collection. I have only one each of the two larger sizes listed here.
1) Cut fragments:
a) 15.7 grams - 28mm x 26mm x 10mm - $39
b) 22.5 grams - 35mm x 20mm x 18mm - $55
c) 38.9 grams - 45mm x 22mm x 20mm - $90
d) 90.4 grams - 60mm x 30mm x 25mm - $200
CARBONADO, Brazil: Black diamonds that may be from space.
Here are some of the weird diamonds I have spent years trying to acquire since reading about them. The last batch of “Brazilian carbonados” I was sold were clearly not. These very clearly are. These weird, often large diamonds are not really crystals but more of an aggregate of microscopic crystals packed together (interestingly, this structure makes them actually harder than regular diamonds). As such, these seem to have formed by a vapor deposition method somehow. Their chemistry is also unlike any other diamonds. They don’t contain any deep mantle minerals (as other diamonds do). Among many other special features, they have nitrogen and hydrogen in their structure as well as strange minerals including reduced Fe, Si, Ti, FeNi metal and the mineral osbournite (TiN) which has previously only been found in meteorites. It has been concluded by some that these likely formed during the formation of a white dwarf star (which we are learning can basically BE a diamond), with some being blown into our area of space during the super nova that formed them around 3.8 billion years ago.
1) Individual “crystals” as found:
a) 4.1 carat (.82 grams) - 9mm x 8mm x 6mm - $300
b) 17.1 carat (3.42 grams) - 14mm x 12mm x 10mm - sold
Please note:
The post office keeps increasing shipping rates (despite the government’s official claim is that there is no inflation). For small US orders $3 should still be fine for now. Larger orders are now $12 (insurance is extra if desired – I’ll look it up if you want it). The real increases came in overseas (or even Canada) shipping. These prices pretty much doubled from what they were a couple years ago. Now small overseas orders are around $9 (I’ll have to custom quote any larger items/ orders). Thankfully, it seems that the rate for registration (recommended on more valuable overseas orders) is still around $12.
I do have a new fax machine that seems to work (but I have to answer it and manually turn it on), so overseas people can contact me that way if they must However, for overseas orders, it probably is best to go ahead and use my brmeteorites@yahoo.com e-mail.
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
……………………………………………………………..LIST 166
January 6, 2015
Happy New Year! Here is the e-mail version of my recent mailed list.
Tucson show info: I will be gone from January 27th through about February 18th (yep, this show has me on the road for far too loooong). For the show dates I am at my usual spot – Room 134 of Ramada Limited (665 N. Freeway for those with GPS). I should have my room open mid-morning of January 31st. At this point, I plan on staying for the bitter end – February 14th (I have found that I generally do quite well the last few days while the “main show” is open). I’ll open most mornings at 10AM and should be open most evenings until around 9:30 to 10PM – later (within reason) if people are visiting/ hanging around.
TOLUCA, Mexico: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1776.
I don’t normally offer mixed bags of an item like this, but I somehow ended up with an assortment of pieces the past few months (after not really having any for a few years). The smaller pieces here are pretty much “natural” (uncut or brushed) fragments that are mostly oxide (though some certainly still have an appreciable amount of metal in them). These are cheap and a good way for someone to add a small sample of this famous (and relatively hard to get in small pieces) meteorite to their collection (most buyers will actually get a piece somewhat larger than the listed ones on these first 2 items). One of the heavier pieces is obviously still all metal as it has a polished face. The slice is etched on both sides. The largest individual has a Monig number painted on it (M8.33) – the only such Toluca I have ever seen.
a) 9.7 gram “oxide” fragment – 22mm x 15mm x 12mm - $5
b) 20.5 gram “oxide” fragment – 25mm x 24mm x 15mm - $10
c) 76.0 gram “oxide” fragment – 45mm x 40mm x 23mm - $50
d) 100.0 gram etched part slice (one cut edge) – 80mm x 60mm x 3mm - $100
e) 105.7 gram metallic fragment/ individual with polished face – 40mm x 30mm x 22mm - $65
f) 479g brushed metallic individual with Monig number – 90mm x 45mm x 35mm - $400
NWA 7899: Ordinary chondrite (L6), W1. Found before September 2011. Tkw = 420.2 grams.
This is one I wish I had a lot more of. The outside of this egg-shaped piece showed some black lines indicating that some shock veining was present. On a cut surface though, this one makes you say “wow!” It is among the very best breccias I have seen. It has light/medium gray and tan clasts (of all sizes) in a medium to dark gray (shocked) background. This is truly a great display specimen for getting the concept of brecciation across. I have ONLY this piece right now. I have the other half of this stone yet (planned to make it a collection piece) and may end up having to try to cut some slices off of it sometime later (it’ll have to be wire sawed. It was not easy to split this egg with the equipment I have and I’d probably only mess the thing up if I tried).
121.6 gram end piece – 80mm x 60mm x 15mm - $600
NWA 8185: Ordinary chondrite. (L5), S2, W3. Found before February 2009. Tkw = 793 grams.
This is yet another one of those offered to me as “primitive” but turned out not to be (thankfully, I think I have finally figured out how to pick out the real primitive achondrites with my XRF, at least with a cut surface). That part did not surprise me. The L-type did though. This has the medium gray color, somewhat porous texture typical for the H5s and H6s these “possible primitives” usually turn out to be. The research work though clearly showed that this is indeed an L. The interior shows many light gray somewhat angular to rounded clasts (but no real distinct chondrules) in a gray with hints of green matrix. Kind of different.
1) Slices:
a) 8.5 grams - 25mm x 22mm x 4mm - $15
b) 16.1 grams - 40mm x 32mm x 5mm - $25
c) 37.4 grams - 70mm x 60mm x 3mm - $55 – complete slice.
2) End piece:
a) 214.5 grams - 70mm x 57mm x 35mm - $300 – Main mass.
NWA 5421: (LL3.7), cluster chondrite. Found 2007. Tkw = 2.2 kilogrmas.
This is one Matt and I shared some years ago but I sold mine out before it got to any type of public offering. This is because of its amazing appearance. Most of this is nothing but a mass of large distorted chondrules tightly packed together with virtually no matrix what so ever. I got an extra chunk from Matt a couple years ago and sent it to be wire sawed, as it was an odd size and shape and wouldn’t fit into my saw. Thankfully, this took a long time to get done (around a year and a half I think). In the meantime, I learned about “cluster chondrites” from an article in Meteoritics and Planetary Sciences that described these things and had pictures of NWA (5205) as an example that exactly matched my meteorite. “Cluster chondrites” are not really a new class but usually found as small inclusions in other type 3 stones (this particular meteorite just happens to be pretty much one gigantic such “clast”). They are extremely low in matrix, composed of over 80% chondrules (the highest of all meteorites). These chondrules are deformed and indicate that they accreted while still hot hours to days after forming (which hints that they may have formed by low velocity impacts between semi-molten bodies). These “rocks” are believed to likely represent pieces of THE primary accretionary rocks (first solidified rocks that were often then later broken up and mixed into later chondrites).
Wish I knew about all of this when I first got it. I don’t have a lot of this left now. These pieces are pretty much all the “cluster chondrite” texture. Only the large full slice has zones of finer texture (40%).
1) Slices:
a) 1.3 grams - 15mm x 10mm x 2.5mm - $25
b) 2.6 grams - 23mm x 12mm x 3mm - $50
c) 5.5 grams - 28mm x 22mm x 3mm - $100
d) 10.5 grams - 40mm x 30mm x 3mm - $190
e) 20.3 grams - 52mm x 48mm x 2.5mm - $350 – ½ slice
f) 92.6 grams - 115mm x 70mm x 4mm - $1350 – complete slice.
NWA 6950: (Lunar (gabbro). Found June 2011. Tkw = 1649 grams.
A single stone that was broken in eight pieces was found (reportedly) near the Algeria/ Mali border. This material turned out to be a Lunar meteorite with a cumulate texture. This was formed by crystals solidifying and settling out of a magma of basaltic composition that was cooling and solidifying beneath the Lunar surface. These pieces are all part slices (broken from larger slices). They are mostly a mottled mix of light tan and pale green fragments/ crystals but some piece have the occasional thin black shock vein. All are in a labeled plastic box for safety (this is mildly crumbly material) and display.
1) Slices:
a) .15 grams - 8mm x 4mm x 1.5mm - $75
b) .28 grams - 12mm x 5mm x 1.5mm - $140
c) .50 grams - 15mm x 8mm x 1.5mm - $250
d) 1.04 grams - 16mm x 13mm x 1.5mm - $495
e) 2.01 grams - 27mm x 15mm x 1.5mm - $900
f) 5.33 grams - 40mm x 30mm x 1.5mm - $2100
HUCKITTA, Australia: (Pallasite). Found 1937.
Here are a few cut fragments I re-discovered while doing inventory last month. Looking through my records, it seems that I have not offered any of this meteorite on a mailed list for over a decade (however, I have offered the occasional piece on e-mailed offerings over the years). Anyway, these are the usual oxidized pieces that show dark olivine in a blue gray (magnetite and hematite) matrix. I once had quite a lot of this meteorite (8 kg or so), but this is the last of it and this material has gotten fairly scarce these days. I don’t really foresee being able to obtain any sizable quantity of this meteorite in the future (I don’t know of anybody that has some). So, grab one of these if you have been wanting to add this name to your collection. I have only one each of the two larger sizes listed here.
1) Cut fragments:
a) 15.7 grams - 28mm x 26mm x 10mm - $39
b) 22.5 grams - 35mm x 20mm x 18mm - $55
c) 38.9 grams - 45mm x 22mm x 20mm - $90
d) 90.4 grams - 60mm x 30mm x 25mm - $200
CARBONADO, Brazil: Black diamonds that may be from space.
Here are some of the weird diamonds I have spent years trying to acquire since reading about them. The last batch of “Brazilian carbonados” I was sold were clearly not. These very clearly are. These weird, often large diamonds are not really crystals but more of an aggregate of microscopic crystals packed together (interestingly, this structure makes them actually harder than regular diamonds). As such, these seem to have formed by a vapor deposition method somehow. Their chemistry is also unlike any other diamonds. They don’t contain any deep mantle minerals (as other diamonds do). Among many other special features, they have nitrogen and hydrogen in their structure as well as strange minerals including reduced Fe, Si, Ti, FeNi metal and the mineral osbournite (TiN) which has previously only been found in meteorites. It has been concluded by some that these likely formed during the formation of a white dwarf star (which we are learning can basically BE a diamond), with some being blown into our area of space during the super nova that formed them around 3.8 billion years ago.
1) Individual “crystals” as found:
a) 4.1 carat (.82 grams) - 9mm x 8mm x 6mm - $300
b) 17.1 carat (3.42 grams) - 14mm x 12mm x 10mm - sold
Please note:
The post office keeps increasing shipping rates (despite the government’s official claim is that there is no inflation). For small US orders $3 should still be fine for now. Larger orders are now $12 (insurance is extra if desired – I’ll look it up if you want it). The real increases came in overseas (or even Canada) shipping. These prices pretty much doubled from what they were a couple years ago. Now small overseas orders are around $9 (I’ll have to custom quote any larger items/ orders). Thankfully, it seems that the rate for registration (recommended on more valuable overseas orders) is still around $12.
I do have a new fax machine that seems to work (but I have to answer it and manually turn it on), so overseas people can contact me that way if they must However, for overseas orders, it probably is best to go ahead and use my brmeteorites@yahoo.com e-mail.
Wednesday, 17 December 2014
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 165 - yet more Novak collection items
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 165 - yet more Novak collection items
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 165
December 16, 2014
Dear Collectors,
Here is yet another selection of items from the Novak collection. This is also likely my last offering for this year.
BRAHIN, Belarus: (Pallasite). Found 1810.
Here is a surprisingly nice slice that has only one short (about 78mm) cut edge. I wouldn’t call this piece fully pallasitic as it has some large zones of iron (which show a really nice etch). A little over ½ of the slice is pallasitic. The olivines are a little sparse (making up around 1/3 or so of this “pallasitic” area) but generally large. This piece does show a few small areas with some minor rust spotting. However, as nice as it was as I got it, I did not risk trying to clean it up for fear that I might end up making a generally stable piece start rusting by applying all the (generally water-based) chemicals I’d need to use to completely de-rust the thing (and also wrecking the great etch this has in the process). I did, however, re-coat the piece as the original coating had bubbled and peeled in spots (what likely allowed the little bit of rust on this to form in the first place). An aesthetic display piece.
331.1 gram slice – 100mm x 90mm x 7mm - $670
CAMPO del CIELO, Argentina: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1576.
Here is a nice etched complete slice. It had some rust on it but I cleaned it up using Bill Mason’s miracle cure on it. It turned out quite nice actually, though there are a couple really tiny brown spots visible as I only opened up the coating over and treated the lines and larger areas of rusting. Nice affordable piece for showing a really coarse octahedrite.
358.1 gram complete etched slice – 130mm x 110mm x 4mm - $125 -SOLD
CANYON DIABLO, Arizona: Coarse octahedrite (IAB).
Here is a complete slice that came in with a collection I got over a year ago. The thing was completely black with rust, as it had never been coated. I took it to the wire wheel and polished all of that off. The thing was never sanded flat after is cut (likely MANY decades ago). Not wanting to take the time to completely sand it out (I break out in a bit o a rash when sanding irons for some reason) and etch it (a skill I am still quite lousy at, despite my best efforts) I decided to leave it as it is. It actually has an interesting look to it. It shows a lot of elongate inclusions (troilite, cohenite, etc) in a nice quasi shiny metallic background.
130.7 gram complete wire brushed slice – 70mm x 60mm x 4mm - $75
CHINGA, Russia: Ataxite, Ni-rich (ungrouped). Found 1913.
This is a nice complete slice. One side is highly polished mirror-like and the other = ? It shows the fine saw marks that indicate that this was cut using a wire saw but it is dark brown almost black. I kind of wonder if the person that prepared this tried to etch it (pretty useless with this particular meteorite) and only managed to darken the surface in the process. Nice, clean rust-free piece. I have left it as I got it, which appears to be uncoated. I can spray coat it if you want.
143.8 gram complete slice – 125mm x 35mm x 5mm – $215
DIMMITT, Texas: (H3.7). Found 1942, recognized as distinct in 1950.
This is a nice end piece and, thankfully, it still has its large (white lettering on black background – 12AM in this case) Monig label. There also seems to be a hint of some old white lettering along one edge of the back, but it does not appear to be one of the usual white Monig labels (by Glenn Huss). The cut face is the usual dark brown with only a little metal visible (plenty more oxides though) and lots of chindrules (if you really look for them). The back, natural side is quite nice. It is mostly primary crust but the “bottom” that it sits on (this stands up nicely on its own) and the edges are secondary crust.
150.3 gram end piece – 75mm x 55mm x 15mm - $225 -SOLD
GARNET, Sudbury, Canada.
Here, apparently, is a large garnet crystal from the “Sudbury Astrobleme Canada”. Not sure what a meteorite collector had this for (it is a nice crystal regardless) but the label (from FallenStarMeteorites.com) says “Meteorite Genesis” so I suspect that at least someone thinks that the impact brought about its formation. This is not a perfect crystal (it does show a number of good crystal faces though) but it has a nice deep ruby red color that contrasts beautifully with the small amount of light golden colored mica present on one end. Again, not sure it is truly “meteoritic” but nice none the less.
161.5 gram crystal – 40mm x 38mm x 33mm - $40
NWA unstudied:
This stone is likely an H chondrite, at least that is what my Mag-Sus meter is hinting at (I haven’t used the thing enough to sort meteorites reliably yet). It is mostly dark chocolate brown. Some areas (the parts that were obviously buried and suffered less wind) are a bit lighter in color. This is obviously a fragment of a much larger stone. Most of the surfaces are old broken faces (no fresh breaks though). There is a pretty good area (around 90mm x 70mm) that is clearly the original exterior of the meteorite as it shows remnants of crust and obvious thumbprints and rounded edges.
630.2 gram fragment/ individual as found – 90mm x 80mm x 50mm - $160
SIKHOTE-ALIN, Russia: (Coaresest octahedrite (IIB). Fell February 12, 1947.
This stuff has gotten really quite hard to get these days. This is a type piece that has been tough to get at all no matter the time frame. This is a complete etched slice of a fusion crusted individual NOT a slice of a shrapnel fragment. It was rare for anybody to want to cut up a nice thumb-printed individual to produce such slices no matter how available such individuals were. So, this shows the true and proper etch for this type meteorite (not the stretched taffy etch of the much more available shrapnel slices). Not a lot to see on the etch as the bands in this stuff are finger width, but interesting none the less. This also has a complete crusted edge. A neat and rare specimen.
67.8 gram etched complete slice – 100mm x 48mm x 2mm - $170
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 165
December 16, 2014
Dear Collectors,
Here is yet another selection of items from the Novak collection. This is also likely my last offering for this year.
BRAHIN, Belarus: (Pallasite). Found 1810.
Here is a surprisingly nice slice that has only one short (about 78mm) cut edge. I wouldn’t call this piece fully pallasitic as it has some large zones of iron (which show a really nice etch). A little over ½ of the slice is pallasitic. The olivines are a little sparse (making up around 1/3 or so of this “pallasitic” area) but generally large. This piece does show a few small areas with some minor rust spotting. However, as nice as it was as I got it, I did not risk trying to clean it up for fear that I might end up making a generally stable piece start rusting by applying all the (generally water-based) chemicals I’d need to use to completely de-rust the thing (and also wrecking the great etch this has in the process). I did, however, re-coat the piece as the original coating had bubbled and peeled in spots (what likely allowed the little bit of rust on this to form in the first place). An aesthetic display piece.
331.1 gram slice – 100mm x 90mm x 7mm - $670
CAMPO del CIELO, Argentina: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1576.
Here is a nice etched complete slice. It had some rust on it but I cleaned it up using Bill Mason’s miracle cure on it. It turned out quite nice actually, though there are a couple really tiny brown spots visible as I only opened up the coating over and treated the lines and larger areas of rusting. Nice affordable piece for showing a really coarse octahedrite.
358.1 gram complete etched slice – 130mm x 110mm x 4mm - $125 -SOLD
CANYON DIABLO, Arizona: Coarse octahedrite (IAB).
Here is a complete slice that came in with a collection I got over a year ago. The thing was completely black with rust, as it had never been coated. I took it to the wire wheel and polished all of that off. The thing was never sanded flat after is cut (likely MANY decades ago). Not wanting to take the time to completely sand it out (I break out in a bit o a rash when sanding irons for some reason) and etch it (a skill I am still quite lousy at, despite my best efforts) I decided to leave it as it is. It actually has an interesting look to it. It shows a lot of elongate inclusions (troilite, cohenite, etc) in a nice quasi shiny metallic background.
130.7 gram complete wire brushed slice – 70mm x 60mm x 4mm - $75
CHINGA, Russia: Ataxite, Ni-rich (ungrouped). Found 1913.
This is a nice complete slice. One side is highly polished mirror-like and the other = ? It shows the fine saw marks that indicate that this was cut using a wire saw but it is dark brown almost black. I kind of wonder if the person that prepared this tried to etch it (pretty useless with this particular meteorite) and only managed to darken the surface in the process. Nice, clean rust-free piece. I have left it as I got it, which appears to be uncoated. I can spray coat it if you want.
143.8 gram complete slice – 125mm x 35mm x 5mm – $215
DIMMITT, Texas: (H3.7). Found 1942, recognized as distinct in 1950.
This is a nice end piece and, thankfully, it still has its large (white lettering on black background – 12AM in this case) Monig label. There also seems to be a hint of some old white lettering along one edge of the back, but it does not appear to be one of the usual white Monig labels (by Glenn Huss). The cut face is the usual dark brown with only a little metal visible (plenty more oxides though) and lots of chindrules (if you really look for them). The back, natural side is quite nice. It is mostly primary crust but the “bottom” that it sits on (this stands up nicely on its own) and the edges are secondary crust.
150.3 gram end piece – 75mm x 55mm x 15mm - $225 -SOLD
GARNET, Sudbury, Canada.
Here, apparently, is a large garnet crystal from the “Sudbury Astrobleme Canada”. Not sure what a meteorite collector had this for (it is a nice crystal regardless) but the label (from FallenStarMeteorites.com) says “Meteorite Genesis” so I suspect that at least someone thinks that the impact brought about its formation. This is not a perfect crystal (it does show a number of good crystal faces though) but it has a nice deep ruby red color that contrasts beautifully with the small amount of light golden colored mica present on one end. Again, not sure it is truly “meteoritic” but nice none the less.
161.5 gram crystal – 40mm x 38mm x 33mm - $40
NWA unstudied:
This stone is likely an H chondrite, at least that is what my Mag-Sus meter is hinting at (I haven’t used the thing enough to sort meteorites reliably yet). It is mostly dark chocolate brown. Some areas (the parts that were obviously buried and suffered less wind) are a bit lighter in color. This is obviously a fragment of a much larger stone. Most of the surfaces are old broken faces (no fresh breaks though). There is a pretty good area (around 90mm x 70mm) that is clearly the original exterior of the meteorite as it shows remnants of crust and obvious thumbprints and rounded edges.
630.2 gram fragment/ individual as found – 90mm x 80mm x 50mm - $160
SIKHOTE-ALIN, Russia: (Coaresest octahedrite (IIB). Fell February 12, 1947.
This stuff has gotten really quite hard to get these days. This is a type piece that has been tough to get at all no matter the time frame. This is a complete etched slice of a fusion crusted individual NOT a slice of a shrapnel fragment. It was rare for anybody to want to cut up a nice thumb-printed individual to produce such slices no matter how available such individuals were. So, this shows the true and proper etch for this type meteorite (not the stretched taffy etch of the much more available shrapnel slices). Not a lot to see on the etch as the bands in this stuff are finger width, but interesting none the less. This also has a complete crusted edge. A neat and rare specimen.
67.8 gram etched complete slice – 100mm x 48mm x 2mm - $170
Tuesday, 2 December 2014
Baline Reed Meteorites For Sale - List 164 Novak Collection Pt.2
Baline Reed Meteorites For Sale - List 164 Novak Collection Pt.2
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 164
December 2, 2014
Dear Collectors,
Here is another selection of items from the Novak collection.
BRENHAM, Kansas: (Pallasite). Found 1882.
Here is a ¼ slice that I sold Mr. Novak some years ago. It is a piece that was cut from the 351 pound piece that was found on a hill. The slices I have had from this piece (which were properly prepared by Marlin Cilz using no water) have been very stable. This one supports that. I have done nothing to it and it looks great! This has 2 cut edges and one long natural edge.
83.1 gram part slice – 55mm x 50mm x 6mm - $290
CAMPO del CIELO, Argentina: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1576.
This is a lightly etched end piece. The interior shows some light staining (most likely from someone as lousy at as me trying to etch the thing and failing to neutralize the acid completely when done). There is some minor small rust spots around the edges but this is nice overall. The back is fully natural in shape but has been wire-brushed. A nice hand specimen that would be great for a pass-around display piece.
359.1 gram end piece – 90mm x 45mm x 20mm - $70
CHINGA, Russia: Ataxite, Ni-rich (ungrouped). Found 1913.
This is a nice complete individual. It has been somewhat wire-brushed but still retains (mostly0 a nice dark brown patina. This has the usual somewhat flattened “lensoidal” shape that most of the meteorites found from this fall have. A nice clean and solid individual.
908. 5 gram individual – 100mm x 60mm x 30mm - $550
DRONINO, Russia: Ataxite Ni-poor (ungrouped). Found July 2000. Tkw = around 3000 kilograms.
This piece was somewhat surprising. I would expect a slice of this common to rust meteorite completely fall apart. However, this actually in really great shape when I got it. There was a little bit of rusting around the edges (this is a complete slice) but that was it! I am not sure what this was coated with originally. It seemed like some kind of wax – kind of sticky/ slimy. I stripped it of and re-coated the thing. This shows bright polished metal on one side and deeply etched (only bringing out a granular texture) on the other. Both sides show lots of the elongate sulphide inclusions common in this meteorite.
132.0 gram complete slice – 130mm x 30mm x 4mm - $130
GOLD BASIN, Arizona: (L4). Found November 1995. Tkw = over 127 kilograms.
Here are three pieces Gordon had in his collection. The smallest is an end piece and still shows a nice fresh interior. The smaller fragment does appear to be just a fragment (no real crust that I can see) but is all original old surfaces (no fresh breaks), The 238g piece is quite nice. The exterior is all old natural. Much of it is old secondary or fractured surfaces but the top (nearly 50% of the stone) still shows obvious fusion crust.
a) 28.7 gram end piece – 30mm x 30mm x 15mm - $35
b) 39.7 gram fragment (all natural) – 37mm x 35mm x 13mm - $50
c) 238.5 gram individual – 70mm x 55mm x 40mm - $235
d) a large one I had from earlier at a much lower price; 1483 gram individual/ fragment as found - $1100.00. This is the largest I have ever had and is likely close to the largest ever found. The largest reported in the Bulletin is 1520 grams.
NANTAN, China: Medium octahedrite (IAB). Found 1958.
This came with no label. Looking it over though, its colors, surface features and the shiny in areas (like it has been coated with lacquer at one time) tell me it is a Nantan. This surprises me a bit as this piece is quite solid and only needed the lightest of wire-brushing to bring it to top form. It is rare, but there are indeed stable pieces of Nantan that are not just oxide. This appears to be one of them. It may have some oxides yet in some of the deeper recesses (where a wire brush won’t reach) but it is actual iron overall. This is a nice hand specimen and could easily be mistaken for a Canyon Diablo or such.
676 gram iron individual – 70mm x 70mm x 40mm - $100
SHIROKOVSKY, Russia: Fake pallasite.
I vividly remember when this stuff acme out. I lost quite a bit of money on it (as many of us did). It first appeared priced at around $50/g. I did not buy any – too expensive. I was also hesitant as the metal had a man-made granular look to it to me. Regardless, I ended up taking some to sell on consignment (after I was shown the “official” research reports that clearly said this was indeed a meteorite). Dumb. I ended up refunding everybody’s money (and only got partial refund from the seller). None the less, most collectors LIKE being able to have/ show a good counterfeit, as long as they know/ pay for what they are really getting. Once we figured out that this was fake, I tried to get the folks handling this to make/ prepare more of it in mostly thicker slices for cabechons/ lapidary material (I am sure it would sell well, if priced for what it IS not as a “rare” meteorite). No luck there, unfortunately. This is (was) a super thin 4 gram slice. It was already broken when I got the collection in Denver, but I have managed to finish the job in bringing all of this stuff home (should have put it in its own box). Anyway, it is a bag of small (one up to 2cm x 3cm) slices that would be great for the micro seller. These come with 3 different cards; one info card, one hand-written label and the card, apparently, of the original seller.
4.0 grams of slices - $20
TOLUCA, Mexico: Coarse octahedrite. Found 1776.
This one was needing some work when I got it. I went to knocking off the obvious loose fragments and then started to wire-brush the piece. Thankfully I was paying attention. As a rolled the thing over I noticed that I came fairly close to removing a museum number that I had not noticed on my initial inspection of the piece. It turns out that this specimen is a Monig piece! It has a very clear M8.33 painted on it (this likely would have been put on this piece buy Glenn and Margaret Huss when they cataloged the Monig collection. This, unfortunately, does not have a matching Monig label. It does have a Mark Bostic Collection label though. This has the weight as 482 grams, so it seems I only lost a couple grams in cleaning this piece.
479.9 gram Monig labeled individual – 90mm x 45mm x 35mm - $400
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 164
December 2, 2014
Dear Collectors,
Here is another selection of items from the Novak collection.
BRENHAM, Kansas: (Pallasite). Found 1882.
Here is a ¼ slice that I sold Mr. Novak some years ago. It is a piece that was cut from the 351 pound piece that was found on a hill. The slices I have had from this piece (which were properly prepared by Marlin Cilz using no water) have been very stable. This one supports that. I have done nothing to it and it looks great! This has 2 cut edges and one long natural edge.
83.1 gram part slice – 55mm x 50mm x 6mm - $290
CAMPO del CIELO, Argentina: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1576.
This is a lightly etched end piece. The interior shows some light staining (most likely from someone as lousy at as me trying to etch the thing and failing to neutralize the acid completely when done). There is some minor small rust spots around the edges but this is nice overall. The back is fully natural in shape but has been wire-brushed. A nice hand specimen that would be great for a pass-around display piece.
359.1 gram end piece – 90mm x 45mm x 20mm - $70
CHINGA, Russia: Ataxite, Ni-rich (ungrouped). Found 1913.
This is a nice complete individual. It has been somewhat wire-brushed but still retains (mostly0 a nice dark brown patina. This has the usual somewhat flattened “lensoidal” shape that most of the meteorites found from this fall have. A nice clean and solid individual.
908. 5 gram individual – 100mm x 60mm x 30mm - $550
DRONINO, Russia: Ataxite Ni-poor (ungrouped). Found July 2000. Tkw = around 3000 kilograms.
This piece was somewhat surprising. I would expect a slice of this common to rust meteorite completely fall apart. However, this actually in really great shape when I got it. There was a little bit of rusting around the edges (this is a complete slice) but that was it! I am not sure what this was coated with originally. It seemed like some kind of wax – kind of sticky/ slimy. I stripped it of and re-coated the thing. This shows bright polished metal on one side and deeply etched (only bringing out a granular texture) on the other. Both sides show lots of the elongate sulphide inclusions common in this meteorite.
132.0 gram complete slice – 130mm x 30mm x 4mm - $130
GOLD BASIN, Arizona: (L4). Found November 1995. Tkw = over 127 kilograms.
Here are three pieces Gordon had in his collection. The smallest is an end piece and still shows a nice fresh interior. The smaller fragment does appear to be just a fragment (no real crust that I can see) but is all original old surfaces (no fresh breaks), The 238g piece is quite nice. The exterior is all old natural. Much of it is old secondary or fractured surfaces but the top (nearly 50% of the stone) still shows obvious fusion crust.
a) 28.7 gram end piece – 30mm x 30mm x 15mm - $35
b) 39.7 gram fragment (all natural) – 37mm x 35mm x 13mm - $50
c) 238.5 gram individual – 70mm x 55mm x 40mm - $235
d) a large one I had from earlier at a much lower price; 1483 gram individual/ fragment as found - $1100.00. This is the largest I have ever had and is likely close to the largest ever found. The largest reported in the Bulletin is 1520 grams.
NANTAN, China: Medium octahedrite (IAB). Found 1958.
This came with no label. Looking it over though, its colors, surface features and the shiny in areas (like it has been coated with lacquer at one time) tell me it is a Nantan. This surprises me a bit as this piece is quite solid and only needed the lightest of wire-brushing to bring it to top form. It is rare, but there are indeed stable pieces of Nantan that are not just oxide. This appears to be one of them. It may have some oxides yet in some of the deeper recesses (where a wire brush won’t reach) but it is actual iron overall. This is a nice hand specimen and could easily be mistaken for a Canyon Diablo or such.
676 gram iron individual – 70mm x 70mm x 40mm - $100
SHIROKOVSKY, Russia: Fake pallasite.
I vividly remember when this stuff acme out. I lost quite a bit of money on it (as many of us did). It first appeared priced at around $50/g. I did not buy any – too expensive. I was also hesitant as the metal had a man-made granular look to it to me. Regardless, I ended up taking some to sell on consignment (after I was shown the “official” research reports that clearly said this was indeed a meteorite). Dumb. I ended up refunding everybody’s money (and only got partial refund from the seller). None the less, most collectors LIKE being able to have/ show a good counterfeit, as long as they know/ pay for what they are really getting. Once we figured out that this was fake, I tried to get the folks handling this to make/ prepare more of it in mostly thicker slices for cabechons/ lapidary material (I am sure it would sell well, if priced for what it IS not as a “rare” meteorite). No luck there, unfortunately. This is (was) a super thin 4 gram slice. It was already broken when I got the collection in Denver, but I have managed to finish the job in bringing all of this stuff home (should have put it in its own box). Anyway, it is a bag of small (one up to 2cm x 3cm) slices that would be great for the micro seller. These come with 3 different cards; one info card, one hand-written label and the card, apparently, of the original seller.
4.0 grams of slices - $20
TOLUCA, Mexico: Coarse octahedrite. Found 1776.
This one was needing some work when I got it. I went to knocking off the obvious loose fragments and then started to wire-brush the piece. Thankfully I was paying attention. As a rolled the thing over I noticed that I came fairly close to removing a museum number that I had not noticed on my initial inspection of the piece. It turns out that this specimen is a Monig piece! It has a very clear M8.33 painted on it (this likely would have been put on this piece buy Glenn and Margaret Huss when they cataloged the Monig collection. This, unfortunately, does not have a matching Monig label. It does have a Mark Bostic Collection label though. This has the weight as 482 grams, so it seems I only lost a couple grams in cleaning this piece.
479.9 gram Monig labeled individual – 90mm x 45mm x 35mm - $400
Tuesday, 18 November 2014
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 163- Novak collection pieces 1
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 163- Novak collection pieces 1
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 163
November 18, 2014
Dear Collectors,
Here are some specimens from a collection I bought in Denver last September (well all but one piece – the oriented unstudied NWA is mine). These (and pieces that will fill out future lists) are all from Gordon Novak who lived in Amarillo, Texas and, unfortunately, passed away a few months ago. He bought a number of things from me over the years but the contents of this collection show he bought quite a lot elsewhere as well. I enjoyed chatting with him when he called to place an order. He was a bit of a joker/ smart _ss. I remember one time he visited the Denver show and picked out a number of items to purchase. He then asked “is there any discount for priests?” I said not really and asked “what, you are a priest?”. He said “no, but if there is a discount I’ll go find one”. Classic Gordon. Anyway, this is just an opening selection. I have a few dozen or so other things that will go out on future lists (likely into next year and maybe even beyond Tucson). I may also run a “want it out of inventory offering before the end of the year” list as well. I am in the process of doing inventory right now (grueling and tedious) and will set aside things like this as I go through it all.
ADMIRE, Kansas: (Pallasite). Found 1881.
This is a “natural” fragment that had a bit of a layer of oxide on it when I found it hiding in the corner of the collection box. It was mostly a brown blob but showed a few large obvious somewhat gemmy olivine crystals. Running it on the XRF showed it was definitely a meteorite and had the right Ni content for a pallasite. Though there was no label with it in the collection papers work, this is obviously a piece of Admire. I have since cleaned it (light wire brushing and soda-blasting) and coated it so it has a somewhat shiny metallic look to it. Neat piece and in much better shape than I would have expected for this meteorite being in a somewhat humid environment for years.
41.0 gram cleaned individual – 40mm x 27mm x 15mm - $200
CAMPO del CIELO, Argentina: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1576.
This is actually a nice, interesting piece. It is kind of a free-form bookend that stands up nicely on its own. It has natural edge around all but one (80mm long) side. One face is flat. The other side of this “slice” is wavy, free-form “cut”. Both cut surfaces have been etched and show half a dozen or so silicate (not graphite or sulfide) inclusions (one whole edge of the flat side is silicate). There are some tiny traces of rust (you have to look closely) but I did not have to do anything to this piece. It is just the way I got it. Clearly, this is from the area of the strewn field that the really silicated pieces (which are very stable) were found.
836.2 gram “slice/ bookend” – 112mm x 75mm x 15mm - $250
CHINESE TEKTITE:
These two large pieces came in a bag with an Indochinite, Thailand, Vietnam label. I can tell from their size, shape and surface features that they are really Chinese tektites. The smaller one is a dumbbell shaped piece and the larger is a flattened oval (though the ends are fatter than the middle quasi- dumbbell like).
a) 120.0 gram dumbbell shaped – 100mm x 30mm x 15mm - $30
b) 180.1 gram flattened oval – 90mm x 48mm x 20mm - $30
COCONINO SANDSTONE, Meteor Crater, Arizona.
This is a natural fragment (almost looks like it has fusion crust) of some of the rock that got blown out of the forming crater. Not rare (there are TONS of it scattered around the crater) but I have not had many pieces over the years (and they always end up selling quickly).
69.2 gram natural fragment – 50mm x 40mm x 20mm - $30 - SOLD
DIMMITT, Texas: (H3.7). Found 1942, recognized as distinct in 1950.
Here is a beautiful complete individual, one of the nicest I have seen. It has a pleasing orange brown to chocolate brown color, and obvious primary crust covering over half of the specimen (the remainder likely being secondary crust). It is a very solid piece with only a tiny hint of cracking, and that is on a corner where a plow mark starts (so being hit by a farmer’s plow likely caused this small crack). The only downer of this piece is that it obviously one of the very earliest that TCU turned loose of. I say this because it is clear that this, at one time, had both Monig labels on it: a large one with black background and a smaller one in white lettering (traces of both are still visible on this piece). When they first began releasing material to collectors (well dealers anyway) they required that we remove the labels that would identify where they came from (thankfully, this one did not suffer the indignity of having its labeling removed with a bench-grinder as I have seen done to some pieces). This was partly because, at that time (this was a long time ago folks), it wasn’t figured to be all that important and mostly because they didn’t really want to let folks know that they were willing to part with anything. The second part makes sense. Once the “cat was out of the bag” anyway they (TCU) got slammed with trade/ sales requests (and even angry demands) to the point of shear overload. I seem to recall that they pretty much shut down the release of any material to anyone for quite awhile after that. Thankfully, when they did start to allow a few things out once more, they didn’t require the labels to be removed (they clearly recognized the importance to the collectors of them then). Anyway, this is an early, cleaned label piece but being an earlier one, it is among the nicest.
509.0 gram complete individual – 100mm x 60mm x 50mm - - SOLD
MOLDAVITE:
Here is a really nice and fairly large specimen. It is a elongate tongue- shaped piece that shows really nice, deep in spots, surface etching/ features. Not quite Besednice grade but certainly well above what I usually have (which sells well at $6/g at shows).
17.3 gram individual – 53mm x 25mm x 10mm - $125
NANTAN, China: Medium octahedrite (IAB). Found 1958.
Of the pieces of this meteorite that came in the collection, this is the one that needed the most help. Thankfully, it didn’t need a tremendous amount of work. I wire-brushed the back side and did what I could to gently clean off what rust there was on the cut face. There wasn’t all that much but the work I did (brushing with the softest wire wheel I could find) did pretty much wipe out what little (weak) etch the piece had. I didn’t want to risk trying to re-etch it. Partly as I am lousy at this, partly the effort and time involved doing this to a piece that will sell so cheap but mostly because hitting potentially unstable meteorites with acid can set off the rusting process. Anyway, the results are a nice hand specimen iron end piece that may not clearly show an etch structure but does have some interesting inclusions.
257.1 gram end piece – 70mm x 38mm x 30mm - $50
--------------------------------------
NWA unstudied:
Here is a dark chocolate brown pointed mountain-like specimen. It is very clearly oriented and shows elongate thumb-printing down all sides of the front. It is clear, from the shape and texture of the sides, that this was a much larger piece at one point a long time ago (why oh why don’t the guys picking these things up keep the pieces of oriented stones together?). I put this out on display around the mid-point of the show in Denver and almost got it sold a couple different times (I should have set it out a bit earlier, before many collectors had already spent their money – next time).
930 gram oriented individual/ fragment – 130mm x 90mm x 60mm - $1500
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 163
November 18, 2014
Dear Collectors,
Here are some specimens from a collection I bought in Denver last September (well all but one piece – the oriented unstudied NWA is mine). These (and pieces that will fill out future lists) are all from Gordon Novak who lived in Amarillo, Texas and, unfortunately, passed away a few months ago. He bought a number of things from me over the years but the contents of this collection show he bought quite a lot elsewhere as well. I enjoyed chatting with him when he called to place an order. He was a bit of a joker/ smart _ss. I remember one time he visited the Denver show and picked out a number of items to purchase. He then asked “is there any discount for priests?” I said not really and asked “what, you are a priest?”. He said “no, but if there is a discount I’ll go find one”. Classic Gordon. Anyway, this is just an opening selection. I have a few dozen or so other things that will go out on future lists (likely into next year and maybe even beyond Tucson). I may also run a “want it out of inventory offering before the end of the year” list as well. I am in the process of doing inventory right now (grueling and tedious) and will set aside things like this as I go through it all.
ADMIRE, Kansas: (Pallasite). Found 1881.
This is a “natural” fragment that had a bit of a layer of oxide on it when I found it hiding in the corner of the collection box. It was mostly a brown blob but showed a few large obvious somewhat gemmy olivine crystals. Running it on the XRF showed it was definitely a meteorite and had the right Ni content for a pallasite. Though there was no label with it in the collection papers work, this is obviously a piece of Admire. I have since cleaned it (light wire brushing and soda-blasting) and coated it so it has a somewhat shiny metallic look to it. Neat piece and in much better shape than I would have expected for this meteorite being in a somewhat humid environment for years.
41.0 gram cleaned individual – 40mm x 27mm x 15mm - $200
CAMPO del CIELO, Argentina: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1576.
This is actually a nice, interesting piece. It is kind of a free-form bookend that stands up nicely on its own. It has natural edge around all but one (80mm long) side. One face is flat. The other side of this “slice” is wavy, free-form “cut”. Both cut surfaces have been etched and show half a dozen or so silicate (not graphite or sulfide) inclusions (one whole edge of the flat side is silicate). There are some tiny traces of rust (you have to look closely) but I did not have to do anything to this piece. It is just the way I got it. Clearly, this is from the area of the strewn field that the really silicated pieces (which are very stable) were found.
836.2 gram “slice/ bookend” – 112mm x 75mm x 15mm - $250
CHINESE TEKTITE:
These two large pieces came in a bag with an Indochinite, Thailand, Vietnam label. I can tell from their size, shape and surface features that they are really Chinese tektites. The smaller one is a dumbbell shaped piece and the larger is a flattened oval (though the ends are fatter than the middle quasi- dumbbell like).
a) 120.0 gram dumbbell shaped – 100mm x 30mm x 15mm - $30
b) 180.1 gram flattened oval – 90mm x 48mm x 20mm - $30
COCONINO SANDSTONE, Meteor Crater, Arizona.
This is a natural fragment (almost looks like it has fusion crust) of some of the rock that got blown out of the forming crater. Not rare (there are TONS of it scattered around the crater) but I have not had many pieces over the years (and they always end up selling quickly).
69.2 gram natural fragment – 50mm x 40mm x 20mm - $30 - SOLD
DIMMITT, Texas: (H3.7). Found 1942, recognized as distinct in 1950.
Here is a beautiful complete individual, one of the nicest I have seen. It has a pleasing orange brown to chocolate brown color, and obvious primary crust covering over half of the specimen (the remainder likely being secondary crust). It is a very solid piece with only a tiny hint of cracking, and that is on a corner where a plow mark starts (so being hit by a farmer’s plow likely caused this small crack). The only downer of this piece is that it obviously one of the very earliest that TCU turned loose of. I say this because it is clear that this, at one time, had both Monig labels on it: a large one with black background and a smaller one in white lettering (traces of both are still visible on this piece). When they first began releasing material to collectors (well dealers anyway) they required that we remove the labels that would identify where they came from (thankfully, this one did not suffer the indignity of having its labeling removed with a bench-grinder as I have seen done to some pieces). This was partly because, at that time (this was a long time ago folks), it wasn’t figured to be all that important and mostly because they didn’t really want to let folks know that they were willing to part with anything. The second part makes sense. Once the “cat was out of the bag” anyway they (TCU) got slammed with trade/ sales requests (and even angry demands) to the point of shear overload. I seem to recall that they pretty much shut down the release of any material to anyone for quite awhile after that. Thankfully, when they did start to allow a few things out once more, they didn’t require the labels to be removed (they clearly recognized the importance to the collectors of them then). Anyway, this is an early, cleaned label piece but being an earlier one, it is among the nicest.
509.0 gram complete individual – 100mm x 60mm x 50mm - - SOLD
MOLDAVITE:
Here is a really nice and fairly large specimen. It is a elongate tongue- shaped piece that shows really nice, deep in spots, surface etching/ features. Not quite Besednice grade but certainly well above what I usually have (which sells well at $6/g at shows).
17.3 gram individual – 53mm x 25mm x 10mm - $125
NANTAN, China: Medium octahedrite (IAB). Found 1958.
Of the pieces of this meteorite that came in the collection, this is the one that needed the most help. Thankfully, it didn’t need a tremendous amount of work. I wire-brushed the back side and did what I could to gently clean off what rust there was on the cut face. There wasn’t all that much but the work I did (brushing with the softest wire wheel I could find) did pretty much wipe out what little (weak) etch the piece had. I didn’t want to risk trying to re-etch it. Partly as I am lousy at this, partly the effort and time involved doing this to a piece that will sell so cheap but mostly because hitting potentially unstable meteorites with acid can set off the rusting process. Anyway, the results are a nice hand specimen iron end piece that may not clearly show an etch structure but does have some interesting inclusions.
257.1 gram end piece – 70mm x 38mm x 30mm - $50
--------------------------------------
 |
| NWA unstudied: 930 gram oriented individual "click on image to enlarge" |
 |
| NWA unstudied: 930 gram oriented individual |
 |
| NWA unstudied: 930 gram oriented individual |
Here is a dark chocolate brown pointed mountain-like specimen. It is very clearly oriented and shows elongate thumb-printing down all sides of the front. It is clear, from the shape and texture of the sides, that this was a much larger piece at one point a long time ago (why oh why don’t the guys picking these things up keep the pieces of oriented stones together?). I put this out on display around the mid-point of the show in Denver and almost got it sold a couple different times (I should have set it out a bit earlier, before many collectors had already spent their money – next time).
930 gram oriented individual/ fragment – 130mm x 90mm x 60mm - $1500
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