Hi, That's very funny---and not just!!!
Related to the foregoing, I just heard from the owner of the small 4.195kg specimen. He confirmed it's extremely fresh, that it has approximately 50% crust and that he acquired it from Al Lang (who purchased it at the Macovich Auction previously referred to) and that a picture of it can be seen on Al's site: http://www.nyrockman.com/museum-12.htm All the best / d On Nov 21, 2011, at 4:47 PM, Yinan Wang wrote: > 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 <dar...@dof3.com> 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" <dar...@dof3.com> 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 >>>>> Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com >>>>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list >>>> >>>> ______________________________________________ >>>> Visit the Archives at >>>> http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html >>>> Meteorite-list mailing list >>>> Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com >>>> 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 >> Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com >> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list >> ______________________________________________ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
