[meteorite-list] ad- Edwin Thompson Library going for donation

[Edwin Thompson]

Happy Holidays to all of the members of the Meteorite list. I hope that everyone gets a space rock in their stocking and that this winter season is good to you all.

 

In the spirit of giving I would like to do something that will benefit many people for years to come in this wonderful science we call Meteoritics. Many of you are aware of the Cascadia Meteorite Laboratory here at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon.  I have made a commitment to help support this facility. This is an opportunity to give back to the meteorite community. A great idea came to mind the other day to use my library collection as a vehicle to help raise funds for research and positions at the lab. So here is my offer; I am giving the entire library collection up for silent auction over the next week. The starting price will be $100,000.00; this is $50,000.00 less than I have ever offered it for before.  The collection is huge. Below is a description of what is included. I can send pictures and a catalog to anyone interested. There are a number of extra publications that are just going to be thrown in. Here is the catch and some might call it the really attractive part of this offering. The winning bidder will produce a cashier’s check for the high bid amount written to Portland State University. This amount will be entirely deductible from your taxes for this year or for the next five years if you choose to amortize this amount over the allowed years. Plus, you get the books!

I realize that this may only appeal to a few individuals who are looking for a tax shelter or to a rare few who have hit the big times in business these past few years.  And I realize also that this opportunity only applies if you live in the U.S. So if this doesn’t do the trick then I may consider breaking up the collection for the sake of the university and their commitment to produce new students for our beloved science and new discoveries for the World to share and benefit from. What do I get........satisfaction. I get to know that I made a lot of people happy. And the person or institution that gets these books will send good energy my way whenever a book is opened and learned from. So please, will you help me with this endeavor? Give it some thought and dig deep if you can. There are even a few of you business people who could buy this collection, take the deduction for your generous donation to the U. and sell off part or all of the collection to get your investment back and then some. Over the next week, you are invited to fly, drive or pedal your way here and flip through the collection in person. If you are a book worm like me then this is your Woody Allen Orgasmatron! I will be honored by your consideration and welcome your visit.

 

 

Offered here is the entire Edwin Thompson Library Collection of books on meteorites and Tektites. This collection is probably the largest most complete collection in private hands in the World. The collection contains over 600 books.  This count does not include some doubles for example; years ago the American Meteorite Laboratory had a number of H.H. Nininger’s book ‘Find a Falling Star!’ 12 copies of this wonderful book were added to the collection. When Richard Norton first came out with his first edition of ‘Rocks from Space’ a case was added to the collection. In addition there are multiple copies of Bagnall’s book ‘The Meteorite and Tektite Collectors Handbook’ and Povenmire’s book ‘Tektites, A Cosmic Paradox’. These extra copies will be part of the sale package even though not counted.  There are copies of ‘Moldavite’ by Bouska and  ‘Meteority’, ‘Meteoritica’ and ‘Principles of Meteoritics’ by Krinov as well as  ‘Giant Meteorites’. There is a set of Cohen’s ‘Meteoriten Kunde’ and Von Buchwald’s ‘Book of Irons’, the three volume set.

The collection includes copies of classics by Mason, Farrington, Wasson, Moore, Brown, Merrill, Lockyer, Chapman, Chladni, Dodd, Prior, Ramdhor, Velikovsky, Von Homboldt, Wood, Yanai, Buchwald, LaPaz, Krinov, Haidinger, Keil, Gallant, Von Schreibers and many many more.  There are over 35 first editions that are signed and inscribed. The collection includes over 200 very rare and important specific research papers, paper bound books and catalogs from various authors from the 1800’s and early 1900’s. There is a complete collection of all publications of the British Catalog of Meteorites all the way back to Hey and even earlier to G.T. Prior in 1923.  The collection includes numerous signed Nininger books. There are lots of wonderful surprises for example; a paper written by E.L. Krinov and inscribed and signed by Krinov to Brian Mason. There is a book signed by H.H. Nininger to friends in La Jolla, California, inside there is a Christmas card from Nininger thanking them for the Thanksgiving dinner earlier that year at which time the book was autographed. There are books on Tektites like O’keefe’s books ‘Tektites and Their Origins’ from 1976 and ‘Tektites’ from 1963. There are numerous extremely rare books in the collection,  ‘Ni Liber De Meteoris’  236 pages by Joannis Jioviani Pontani  dated 1539 and such rarities as ‘Aerolithorum’ by Johannes Outzen Bjorn from 1816,  ‘Meteorite Papers’ by Haidinger from 1850, ‘The Meteoritic Hypothesis’ by J. Norman Lockyer from 1890,‘Die Meteorite Und Ihre Organismen’ by Hahn  from 1880, ‘Meteorites’ by Meunier from 1884, ‘Meteorites of Stone and Metal’ by D. Carl Von Schreibers from 1820, ‘Der Phyfifchen Belt’ by Johann Gottfried Sommer from 1819 and last but not least, ‘De Meteoris Libro Duo’ 489 pages by M. Michaele Stanhuf from 1578.  Also included in the collection is a complete set of the photo catalogs from the Center for Polar Research in Japan and the Photographic Catalogs of the Antarctic Meteorites by Keizo Janai. There are several books in the collection that cost well over $5000.00 when they were purchased years ago. There are many books worth over $1000.00 each and still more that would cost between $200.00 and $500.00 each to acquire at today’s prices. There are numerous peripheral books on related subjects like the solar system and the cosmos as well as a few books on astronomy that include sections on meteoritics. There are a number of antique Scientific American magazines with meteorite articles in them. You can also have all of my issues of Meteoritics, Meteorite magazine, and Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. And there are two sets of the very first issues of Meteoritics from 1953, coincidentally the year I was born. This is a dream reference collection for any institution or private collector.  It is filled with historic accounts of witnessed falls written shortly after the events. There is an ability to read through many of these books and find the location of ancient finds and falls that are still in the hands of the finders. There are wood block prints and sketches in the older books of many classic meteorites made when they were first studied. It took me almost 30 years of aggressive book searching and scouting in person as well as serious networking and bargaining to develop this collection. Many of these treasures come from world renowned libraries that have been thinned out and from famous scientist’s collections.  It is time to let it go and to let this amazing collection of books and papers benefit others with its value and its knowledge. I would like for this sale to spark the flame of research and education for our future scientists and students while at the same time making the buyer a very happy collector.

For those interested I can send a copy of the collection list and if you are seriously considering the collection, feel free to fly here and flip through the collection in person.  To reiterate, the collection has a value much higher but I will start the bidding at $100,000.00. The silent auction will proceed for 7 days. Remember that the winner will present a cashiers check for the full amount written to Portland State University. The university will provide a receipt for the donation as well as a thank you letter and the recognition deserved for your generous contribution. I will package and ship or deliver the collection at no charge. Please accept my sincere thank you for looking with interest at this offering and the best of luck to all bidders.

 

Sincerely, E.T.

 

P.S. this is the first time I have done this so please contact me with any questions or suggestions.

 

Send offers and inquiries to:

Edwin Thompson at:

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

 

auction ends – 10pm Pacific time Saturday December 23, 2006

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