Get out your CSI kit and check for blood using Luminol on your fusion crusted pieces! :)
-Yinan On Mon, Nov 21, 2011 at 4:28 PM, Darryl Pitt <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Hi, > > Don't put much faith in this particular recollection, but I seem to recall > that we don't know. I'm already back in touch with Professor Ferrin and will > attempt to answer all....it's my hope to induce him to write the > comprehensive piece previously referred to. ;-) > > Best / d > > > On Nov 21, 2011, at 12:53 PM, Michael Blood wrote: > >> Hi Darryl, >> Thanks for the added info. >> Can you tell us if the material "out there" is from the actual >> Hammer stone that killed the cow - or is some of it so and the rest >> From additional "rocks" of the fall? >> This would be valuable to know. >> Thanks, Michael >> >> On 11/20/11 11:03 PM, "Met. Darryl Pitt" <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> VALERA REVISITED >>> >>> Hi, >>> >>> While not among my favorite stories, as you'll soon discover---I have no >>> doubt >>> whatsoever Valera killed a cow. In brief, there was far more data collected >>> than the affidavit (which was one person's mere summary of events). >>> >>> Here's the story: >>> >>> Shepherded by Marty Zinn---the impresario of the Tucson Mineral and Fossil >>> Shows---Valera was first offered at the Macovich Auction 11 or 12 Tucson's >>> ago. Professor Ignacio Ferrin---a Venezuelan astronomer...and quite the >>> gentleman....acquired the meteorite after word of its existence wound its >>> way >>> to him. Marty heard from Professor Ferrin who directed him to me, and he >>> consigned Valera to our auction. >>> >>> For those who are unaware, the clavicle of an otherwise healthy cow was >>> shattered and odd stones---only much later determined to be >>> meteoritic---were >>> found near the carcass. The sonic phenomena associated with a meteorite fall >>> were experienced. Two large fragments from one mass were recovered (~35 and >>> 7.5 kg), and left outside, one of which was used as a doorstop over a period >>> of years---I imagine the lighter of the two. A third smaller specimen >>> which I >>> vaguely recall as being pretty much complete had been brought inside and was >>> quite fresh. The specimens in circulation come from the larger fragments. >>> >>> Professor Ferrin gathered far more information other than his procurement of >>> the affidavit. He has long been exasperated by the ongoing questioning of >>> Valera's "killer" provenance by the meteorite collecting community, and has >>> gone on-record addressing this topic more than once. >>> >>> There are two important points worth mentioning here---both of which are >>> rather ironic. >>> >>> 1. It's important to recall that Ferrin was informed that the farm owner on >>> whose property the meteorite fell, physician Argimiro Gonzalez, didn't think >>> anything at all of this event. Dr. Gonzalez was well aware that rocks fell >>> out of the sky, and so it seemed entirely reasonable to him that such >>> impacts >>> would occasionally result in fatalities. Without the rocks ever having been >>> analyzed, Gonzalez, and later his family, considered the rocks as >>> extraterrestrial curiosities---a conclusion which resulted from a dead >>> animal >>> which had been pulverized by blunt force trauma whose instrument rested >>> nearby. It was the simplest explanation and somewhat a different tack than >>> would be taken by the meteorite community: simply expressed, Gonzalez >>> concluded as a result of a death that what he had must be a meteorite. It >>> was >>> many years later that Ferrin heard the story, confirmed Gonzalez's >>> hypothesis >>> and facilitated Valera's classification. >>> >>> 2. Every few years I have to admit to having undermined Valera's >>> exceptional >>> provenance, and here's how: >>> >>> The larger of the two massess did not sell at our auction (it was a big rock >>> and pricey---while extremely inexpensive on a per/gram basis) and Ferrin >>> suddenly found himself in an unexpected financial bind. He did not have >>> particularly high expectations for how much it should sell---but he >>> absolutely >>> expected it would sell, and now he was stuck---and he didn't want to take >>> 40+ >>> kg of rocks back to Venezuela. I felt badly as I was confident it would >>> sell, >>> and informed Ferrin of the same prior to his decision to bring Valera to >>> Arizona. So I decided I would purchase it---but by doing so I now put >>> myself >>> in a huge financial pinch. So what did I do? The most foolish thing I've >>> ever done in meteorites: while I don't recall the precise numbers, I sold a >>> portion of the rock to another dealer for about my cost...perhaps a dollar a >>> gram, as I recall, and then we both sold Valera super-cheaply. >>> Percentage-wise we made a nice return, but the fact is that by having >>> offered >>> it so ine >>> xpensively, a perceived valuation was created for a meteorite that should be >>> selling today for easily $250+/g. >>> >>> If you have a specimen of Valera---treasure it. If you don't have one, you >>> might consider getting some from somewhere as the price has been rapidly >>> escalating of late. This past June at a Heritage Auction, a 309 gram >>> specimen >>> sold for $5,975 or about $20/g. I'm informed that small specimens today >>> typically sell for $25/gram and more---and as you know, getting from $2.50/g >>> to $25/g is the hard part. >>> >>> I'll never forget when I was on the exhibit floor at a Bonhams sale a couple >>> of years back and someone declared, "I don't think Valera killed a >>> cow---it's >>> selling for MUCH too little for having done so." That was such a funny >>> notion >>> to me...how MY screw-up fueled an inaccurate impression. (I did not >>> mention >>> my role to the fellow ;-) >>> >>> >>> All the best / Darryl >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On Nov 20, 2011, at 12:51 AM, MexicoDoug wrote: >>> >>>> Dear List; >>>> >>>> I have a question about the cow killing incident. >>>> >>>> The meteorite fell in 1972. I understand from rumors that it is >>>> absolutely a >>>> confirmed cow killer. But the document doesn't read as an absolute fact, >>>> but >>>> rather circumstantial evidence (which as a meteorite collector appreciating >>>> the size of the mass I want to believe quite strong). >>>> >>>> The affidavit was signed in 2001, after the Doctor on whose property the >>>> meteorite landed had died. >>>> >>>> Yet when I heard this, it was explained to me that a doctor had pronounced >>>> the cow dead and there was injury visible on the cow caused by the falling >>>> mass (a 50 kg stone). I always thought that a Doctor actually swore to the >>>> wound on the cow and was convinced it was caused by the stone, since a >>>> doctor >>>> would be expected to have a good idea of what such a wound would look like. >>>> >>>> This thread just prompted me to me read the affidavit. It doesn't say >>>> anything about wounds on the cow. >>>> >>>> The affidavit was by the Doctor's visitor, and specifically does not even >>>> mention that the doctor made any opinion about the meteorite killing the >>>> cow. >>>> But does mention the doctor had owned the property and passed away >>>> subsequently. No one from the Doctor's family, just the visitor, Juan >>>> Dionicio, commenting 30 years later says it "appeared" (presumably him >>>> since >>>> he doesn't mention the doctor) the cow was killed by the rock when he saw >>>> it >>>> the next day. It does not mention any injuries or wounds to the cow at >>>> all. >>>> Just "it appeared the cow had been killed by the rock" and also that "the >>>> cow >>>> then eaten". >>>> >>>> Yet I heard at the time I bought this that the cow had sustained a mortal >>>> injury the injury I recall being described at one point. Why this is not >>>> in >>>> the document? ... has me thinking something must be missing? >>>> >>>> Is this the only document that discusses the claim of a cow being killed? >>>> Because it seems to me people have much more information than is contained >>>> in >>>> the affidavit. (But I've run up enough against rumors to believe that it's >>>> easily possible for the rumors to just be taller tales down the line). Was >>>> there a newspaper article in the 70's or anything predating this, or were >>>> there any other witnesses besides Juan Dionicio, the mysterious guest who >>>> it >>>> sounds spent several nights on the good doctor's ranch? I'd really like to >>>> know. >>>> >>>> Kindest wishes >>>> Doug >>>> >>>> ______________________________________________ >>>> Visit the Archives at >>>> http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html >>>> Meteorite-list mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list >>> >>> ______________________________________________ >>> Visit the Archives at >>> http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html >>> Meteorite-list mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list >> >> -- >> Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more >> than standing in a garage makes you a car. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > ______________________________________________ > Visit the Archives at > http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > Meteorite-list mailing list > [email protected] > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > ______________________________________________ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list [email protected] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
