Thursday 28 April 2011

Blaine Reed Meteorites - List 103 - my just mailed list

Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
………………………………………………………LIST 103

April 28, 2011

Dear Collectors,

Here is the e-mail version of my mailed list that is just now hitting collector's hands.

I will be doing some traveling this year (that got blown out by what felt like an endless stream of crisis last year). A few small trips I know about at this point are:
1) May 19th to about May 30th
2) June 1st to about June 12th
There will likely be more trips later, but these are the ones that may affect orders from this list.

DEPORT, Texas. Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1926. Tkw = 15+ kilograms.
I got these wonderful specimens from a person who got them directly from Oscar Monig a long time ago. This guy had stopped in my room during the New Mexico Mineral Symposium in Socorro and asked if I would stop by his house on my way home and look over some "Odessas" he had. It turned out that what he really had was Deport individuals (long story on how I figured that out though, but these really are Deport specimens – something that Monig had plenty of). These are all complete individuals that may have experienced some form of chemical cleaning by Monig many years ago, but look pretty natural at this point. They have nice interesting thumb-printed like shapes, so these are certainly not simple ugly lumps!
1) Individuals, mostly natural:
a) 41.0 grams - 35mm x 15mm x 15mm - $82
b) 76.4 grams - 45mm x 23mm x 15mm - $150
c) 136.5 grams - 50mm x 30mm x 17mm - $250
d) 164.8 grams - 60mm x 40mm x 25mm - $350 – really nice oriented shape!
e) 288.9 grams - 54mm x 45mm x 30mm - $500

HYATTVILLE, Wyoming. (L6). Found April 2008. Tkw = 8911 grams.
I think this is the first time ever I have had a new Wyoming meteorite. I guess that this is not very surprising as there are currently only 14 meteorite reported from the state (and this is the 9th chondrite from there). This was found by a man named Jon Todd, who is working to become a noted meteorite hunter (he is obviously off to a good start). Most of this (the 4.5kg main mass) is already tied up in a collection. I was ably to acquire a couple fragments that I cut for distribution to collectors (and keeping a piece or me, obviously). This is fairly fresh stuff (weathering grade of W1). It has lots of metal in a mottled light gray and tan matrix.
1) Slices:
a) 4.5 grams - 24mm x 13mm x 4mm - $21
b) 8.7 grams - 30mm x 22mm x 4mm - $40
c) 16.2 grams - 38mm x 37mm x 3mm - $75
d) 34.2 grams - 51mm x 45mm x 4mm - $155 – one edge fusion crusted.
e) 56.3 grams - 90mm x 50mm x 4mm - $255
f) 69.3 grams – 90mm x 54mm x 5mm - $310

TAMDAKHT, Morocco: (H5). Fell December 20, 2008, Tkw = about 100 kilograms.
Many people witnessed the fall of this meteorite. This material ended up falling in the Atlas Mountains, where recovery was difficult due to the presence of snow and steep slopes. Unfortunately, the area was also very rocky so few pieces survived as complete individuals. Most recovered specimens (as is the case with most of these pieces) were fragments that resulted from falling stones hitting rocks on the ground. These are all quite fresh (showing lots of metal in a generally medium gray matrix), but they do show some minor brown rust spotting (thanks to the snow no doubt).
1) Slices:
a) 8.9 grams - 27mm x 20mm x 5mm - $36
b) 21.4 grams - 37mm x 35mm x 5mm - $85
c) 50.0 grams - 75mm x 35mm x 5mm - $190
2) Crusted ½ individuals plus (more than 60% fusion crust covered).
a) 32.5 grams - 35mm x 25mm x 16mm - $110 – a bit more chipped up than the others.
b) 77.5 grams - 68mm x 30mm x 20mm - $270
c) 122.1 grams - 70mm x 35mm x 27mm - $425 – complete? (break might be secondary crust)
d) 144.3 grams - 62mm x 45mm x 30mm - $600 - Special! This is ½ of an oriented individual and has nice flow lines on one face and really thick bubbly crust on another. Broken area is mostly slickensides or thin secondary crust. 

NWA (5784): Dunite). Found before February 2006. Tkw = 2.6kg.
The bulk of this scientifically important stone is already locked up in museum collections (I have only around 100g available). This was originally classified as a diogenite (which it does indeed look like visually). But, it is over 91% olivine and only contains 2% orthopyroxene – the mineral that regular diogenites are composed almost entirely of. Having said that though, there are changes in the classification scheme for these ultra-mafic rocks being considered. I have read that all Diogenties (real orthopyrexene ones), olivine diogenties and dunites will be grouped as "Diogenite" for the main classification header with orthopyroxinite, periddotite or dunite as the sub type (this change may have already come about). Regardless of how they name it, this still represents a rare and important sample of deep crust or mantle material from Vesta. 
1) Slices in membrane box:
a) .21 grams - 10mm x 9mm x 1mm - $32
b) .39 grams - 12mm x 10mm x 1mm - $59
c) .68 grams - 15mm x 9mm x 1.5mm - $100
d) 1.37 grams - 17mm x 14mm x 1.5mm - $185
e) 2.55 grams - 33mm x 30mm x 1mm - $320
f) 5.9 grams - 45mm x 32mm x 1mm - $700
g) 12.9 grams - 65mm x 50mm x 1mm - $1300 

NWA (6355): Lunar melt – matrix mingled breccia. Found 2009. Tkw = 760 grams.
This is a clast-laden breccia that contains fine- grained mineral debris (pyroxene, olivine, anorthite) and sparse igneous clasts in a heterogeneous "swirly" glass matrix. This is very similar chemically to Apollo 16 soils. This meteorite is a rare instance where a lunar meteorite can be correlated with materials at a specific landing site on the Moon (this according to well the known and highly educated in this field Dr. Tony Irving). This is mostly dark gray to black in color with small lighter colored inclusions scattered (sparsely) throughout. One further note; only about 350grams of this is available to the public. 
1) Slices in membrane box:
a) .107 grams - 5mm x 4mm x 1mm - $100
b) .143 grams - 8mm x 5mm x 1mm - $135 – nice texture!
c) .31 grams - 10mm x 6mm x 1mm - $285
d) .496 grams - 14mm x 7mm x 1mm - $450
e) .870 grams - 15mm x 12mm x 1mm - $785 – has one anorthosite inclusion that transmits light!

BEDIASITES: Tektites from Texas.
It has been quite awhile since I have had any of these. I used to sell some on consignment for TCU but they have been completely out for a good number of years now. These came in the door one evening at the show. They were found by a person who usually finds and prepares major fish fossils (he had an incredible large and toothy specimen on display in the Lobby of Inn Suites this year). This guy is quite wealthy and was, justifiably, proud of his finds. None the less, after quite a bit of back and forth haggling, I finally was able to purchase these wonderful specimens. All are absolutely complete, with the exception of the largest, which has a small (8mm x 5mm) ding on one edge.
1) Individuals as found:
a) 2.2 grams - 14mm x 12mm x 9mm - $25
b) 4.3 grams - 17mm x 14mm x 13mm - $48
c) 7.2 grams - 21mm x 17mm x 14mm - $78
d) 14.3 grams - 25mm x 22mm x 18mm - $150
e) 22.4 grams - 35mm x 22mm x 21mm - $225 – has some nice deep grooves.
f) 44.2 grams - 37mm x 32mm x 28mm - $400 – largest I have ever had.

METEORITE COINS: Serial number matched Moon and Mars coin sets.
These are sets of 4 coins that have identical serial numbers. These are neat 50mm diameter tokens that have a picture of a Lunar scene or Mars scene on one side and a brief note about the meteorite (contained as dust and fragments in a roughly 5mm x 3mm recess on the picture side) the coin contains and serial number on the back. There were 2 different coin designs of each (each set was in a limited run of 250 pieces maximum) of the Moon and Mars rocks – NWA (2995) for the Lunar and NWA (2986) for the Martian in this case. I have only 5 sets available. Serial numbers available are; 167, 172, 174, 178, 185
4 coin matched serial number set - $250 

Please include postage: a couple dollars on small U.S. orders and $10 on large items for first class (insurance is extra, if desired). On small overseas orders, $3 to $5 is generally plenty (I'll have to custom figure the rate for large items). Registration is also recommended on more valuable overseas shipments - an extra $12.00.
If you are sending a fax, simply begin transmitting when my line is answered. My fax will turn on automatically to receive (or I will start it if I answer) when you begin transmitting.

Saturday 16 April 2011

Blaine Reed Meteorites: List 102 - yet more after Tucson stuff

Blaine Reed Meteorites:  List 102 - yet more after Tucson stuff
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487 
LIST 102
April 16, 2011

Dear Collectors,

Here is yet another "brought it home from the show" list. This is going out at an odd time (sorry about this) as I will likely be leaving Wednesday for a trip (Leadville, Denver, possibly more). I wanted to have this out early enough so people could look it over and place orders before I have to take off (sending it out Tuesday afternoon and then leaving Wednesday morning certainly would not have worked well). I tried to get this out yesterday, but was far to busy with random calls and such to get finished with typing it until well after 5pm (something like midnight for people in Europe) so here it is on Saturday. 

ALLENDE, Mexico: (CV3.2). Fell February 8, 1969.
This is a nice complete slice of the portion that is a bit more chondrule-rich than much of Allende. Much of Allende is a bit more bluish/gray and has fewer chondrules. This is more of the slightly greenish gray stuff that looks more like Axtell.
35.3 gram complete slice – 80mm x 60mm x 2.5mm - $375

COLE CREEK, Nebraska: (H5). Found 1991. Tkw = 16.3kg.
This is a fairly large part slice that has one cut edge (the others are mostly weathered fusion crust and old break, The fusion crust makes up more than 2/3 though). This is quite weathered but it does show a good number of chondrules in a mixed brown and gray matrix (no real fresh metal though). I haven't seen any of this for quite a long time.
140.6 gram slice – 10mm x 75mm x 6mm - $385

DAR AL GANI (400): Libya: Lunar anorthositic breccia. Found 1998. Tkw = 1425 grams.
This is a small fragment that I obviously sold many years ago (it has a mane and weight sticker with my writing on the back of the gem box it is displayed in). 
.02 gram fragment – 3mm x 2.5mm x 1.5mm - $50

HaH (314), Libya: (LL6). Found 2001. Tkw = 1470 grams.
This is fresh stuff. This looks as fresh as most falls, with only some tiny hints of brown staining. It has a good amount (for an LL) of fresh iron and quite a nice breccia texture (including a couple dark inclusions that could be carbonaceous or shock-melt. This is a complete slice of a fragment (no cut edges, but I don't see any distinct crust either.
2.8 gram slice – 25mm x 24mm x 1.5mm - $25

HVITTIS, Finland: Enstatite chondrite (EL6). Fell October 21, 1901. Tkw = 14kg.
This is a nice roughly square slice with on edge of fusion crust. It is fresh with lots of fine-grained metal in a mixed medium brown and gray matrix. 
7.5 gram slice – 37mm x 29mm x 1.5mm - $675

NWA (801): carbonaceous chondrite (CR2). Found 2000. Tkw = 5kg+.
This is a nice individual. It looks to be at least ½ and likely a complete individual with most of the surface being the proper smooth/ rounded shape and a relatively flat face making up one side. This may be a broken specimen (but a very old break if that is the case), or possibly an oriented individual. Unfortunately the crust has been wind-polished enough (as pretty much all of the pieces of this find were) that it is difficult to tell. The plus side is that this wind-polishing does allow a lot o chondrules to show on the surface.
11.4 gram individual as found – 25mm x 19mm x 15mm - $180 

NWA (1929): (Howardite). Found 2003. Tkw = 922++ grams (probably 20 or 30kg actually).
These are more of the membrane boxed super thin slices. These 3 pieces all show a nice breccia texture.
a) 22mm x 15mm - $15
b) 24mm x 20mm - $20
c) 25mm x 24mm - $25

NWA (4290): (LL3.1). Found 2005. Tkw = 1101 grams.
Here are yet some more of the super-thin slices in a membrane box I have been offering lately (I have 3 of these). These show LOTS of chondrules. These also allow light top pass through some of the minerals like a thin-section!
20mm x 20mm slice in membrane box - $40

NWA (4857): Martian Shergottite. Found August 2007. Tkw = about 1kg.
This is a nice small individual. It still has a fair amount of crust (covering probably 50% of the piece), with the remainder being wind polished away (this does seem to be a complete specimen). A nice little Mars rock for the person that wants basically complete specimens.
.38 gram individual – 8mm x 5mm x 5mm - $230 

PARK FOREST, Illinois: (L5). Fell March26, 2003. Tkw = 12.25+kg.
This is a small fragment in a gem stone box. The back has a small sticker claiming that this is a piece of one of the
most famous house hitters. I am not completely sure I believe this though as it is spelled "the Gaza House stone". It should be
"Garza".
Fragment 5mm x 2mm x 2mm - $20

PARNALEE, India: (LL3.6). Fell February 28, 1857. Tkw = 77.6 kg.
This is a nice little part slice (one cut edge, others appear to be natural fractures). This shows a nice variety of chondrules of a wide range of sizes and color. I have not had a piece of this in a long time and it cost a small fortune to get a hold of this piece. 
3.4 gram slice – 23mm x 13mm x 4mm - $150

YILMIA, Australia: enstatite chondrite (EL6). Found 1969. Tkw = 40kg.
I have only these 2 specimens. The smaller is a cut fragment in a capsule, the larger is a complete slice (of a fragment anyway). This stuff is fairly weathered, but the larger piece does have a couple areas (comprising nearly half of the surface area) that still shows lots of fine-grained metal and has the E-chondrite look. I have only ever had a few pieces of this material over the years.
a) .14 gram cut fragment in a capsule - $15
b) 2.62 gram slice – 23mm x 11mm x 3mm - $200

Tuesday 5 April 2011

brmeteorites_list] List 101 - more after Tucson stuff 5APR2011

brmeteorites_list] List 101 - more after Tucson stuff


Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487 
LIST 101
April 5, 2011

Dear Collectors,

I am back from Phoenix and helping my uncle. Blake and I worked very hard to get a few things done around his house (cleaning up, moving 200lb ham radio equipment, installing ceiling fans, I fixed a couple dozen wrist watches). We Got 7 of his 9 cars back in running order as well so he can start selling off the many extras (any body want a Mercedes?). 

Anyway, here is another "brought it back from Tucson" offering. There will be more as time allows.

BARRATTA, Australia: (L3.8). Found 1845. Tkw = 202.9kg.
Now this is a nice display specimen. It is a triangular shaped ½ slice and has 2/3 of its edge showing clearly thumb-print textured dark chocolate brown to black crust. The interior is also very fresh, showing lots of chondrules and metal in a mixed brown and light gray matrix. I remember years ago (when this was still classified as an L4), I had the chance to pick up a fairly large amount of slices of this for a really low price (couple bucks a gram perhaps). I stupidly passed on them. To add insult to that idiocy, the stuff was re-classified as an L3 shortly after. Ooops!
74.5 gram ½ slice – 75mm x 45mm x 6mm - $450 

CACHARI, Argentina: (Eucrite), monomict breccia. Found 1916. Tkw = 23.5kg.
These are a couple small fragments in a capsule. I have not seen any of this material in a long time. I have only this sample.
.08grams fragments (2pcs) in a capsule - $20

DAR AL GANI (319), Libya: (Ureilite), polymict breccia. Found 1997. Tkw = 740 grams.
This is a small natural fragment in a membrane box. This comes with a Swiss Meteorite Lab label.
.36 gram fragment in membrane box and SML label - 9mm x 6mm x 2mm - $20

GIBEON, Namibia: Fine octahedrite (IVA).
This is a large uncut individual (52.4kg). It apparently was used as an anvil in some village in Namibia at some time as both the top and bottom surfaces are quite flat and show a texture that looks similar to a hand-hammered silver bowl. I have seen a few similar pieces that the flat areas were really considered to be from impacts with other pieces as they came through the atmosphere though, and this may indeed have formed that way as well. This thing looks EXACTLY like an alligator head! I even, as a joke, put a "cats eye" marble in the divot that is located perfectly for an eye socket. So far, everyone that has shown interest in this wants it for cutting into little jewelry pieces. Someone polished a spot on the bottom and tried to etch it. It did show some etch, but as this is a hammered (or impacted) surface it was distorted and indistinct. I really do suspect though that if an area in between (that shows the nice typical thumb-printed surfaces) were polished and etched, the pattern would be fine (and I may very well end up giving that a try soon). This would still mean a loss of useful etch area along two of the edges of slices cut from this thing for jewelry people, but might yield the neat contorted edge etch pieces I have seen command a premium from collectors. 
52.4kg brushed individual – 450mm x 230mm x 110mm - $12,500

NWA 801: Carbonaceous chondrite (CR2). Found 2000.
This is one of my favorite meteorites and this is a really nice thin slice of it. This piece is some of the slightly fresher stuff (some of the (801) was really dark hematite red and showed no metal). This is a pleasing yellow-brown and still shows lots of metal surrounding many of the chondrules and as rounded blebs (metal chondrules). 
3.1 gram slice in Riker mount – 60mm x 25mm x 1mm - $100

NWA 2737: Martian (Chassignite). Found 2000. Tkw = 611 grams.
This is a small thin slice in a membrane box.
5mm x 4mm slice in membrane box - $50

NWA 3118: Carbonaceous chondrite (CV3). Found 2003. Tkw = 5895grams.
I suspect this is paired with my favorite CV NWA (2086). This has a super chondrule-rich texture and looks very similar to the popular (and expensive) Axtell. These are super thin slices in a membrane box.
a) 17mm x 13mm - $ 15
b) 25mm x 19mm - $20

NWA 5717: ungrouped chondrite (3.05). Found 2006. Tkw = 7.31kg.
One fresh stone of this strange material was found. Research work on this showed that it did not match with any known parent body (similar to H's in some respects and similar to LL's in others, with oxygen isotopes and other features matching neither). This material is further enhanced by being one of the most primitive "ordinary" chondrites available. Only 18 meteorites out of all known ordinary chondrites (some 40,000 now, this includes Antarctic recoveries) have a petrographic subtype below 3.10! I traded for a bit of this (with a bit extra) for my collection. I have very little, so contact me soon if you want any. These are all thin part slices.
a) .43 grams – 14mm x 6mm x 1mm - $26
b) .74 grams – 19mm x 7mm x 1mm - $44 – has large (5mm) chondrule.
c) 2.08 grams – 28mm x 16mm x 1mm - $120 – nice mix of light and dark zones.
d) 4.72 grams – 35mm x 27mm x 1mm - $250

NORTON COUNTY, Kansas: (Aubrite). Fell February 18, 1948. Tkw = 1175+ Kg.
This is a really interesting piece. It appears to be a piece of thick (4mm) black slaggy crust (plenty of gas bubbles) with a few bright white angular fragments of enstatite sticking out of one side. This black material from Norton County is quite scarce.
.36 gram fragment in membrane box – 11mm x 7mm x 5mm - $25

SAHARA 97072: Enstatite chondrite (EH3). Found 1997. Tkw = 1270 grams.
Actually, the TKW on this stuff is a lot higher as every stone seems to have gotten its own number. Regardless, any fresh enstatite chondrite is really rare (this has the added benefit of being a type 3) and quite hard to come these days. This is really nice complete slice that shows complete brown edge (likely weathered fusion crust along most of it) and a fresh interior with lots of fine-grained metal and chondrules visible.
5.9 gram complete slice – 34mm x 17mm x 2.5mm - $250 

TATAHOUINE, Tunisia: (Diogenite). Fell June 27, 1931. Tkw = 13.5+ kg.
This is a super thin slice (shows a bit of light through some areas) in a membrane box.
Slice (10mm x 9mm) in membrane box - $15

DAMASCUS METEORITE KNIFE:
Actually, this might be better used as a letter opener. It is completely hand made by someone experimenting with the damascus process and meteorite metal. This is definitely a bit crude, but folksy artistic none the less. It has an interesting artistic shape overall. The handle is wood with several small hematite beads inset on each side. A lot of work went into this for someone just learning the process (I got two of these, but I will likely hang onto one to use as my regular letter opener).
Small meteorite knife - $95