All I can say is "Here, Here"
Horatio
 
At 08:45 PM 1/15/98 -0600, you wrote:
>Conch-L,
>
>Shell dealers have come in for a lot of attention lately, not all of it
>favorable, and some of that is my fault.  I really deplore this, especially
>because most shell dealers are really special people, without whom our hobby
>not only would be a poorer pursuit, but indeed might barely exist.
>
>Some of us, like Jenny, are able to travel extensively for shells, or simply
>live near a coast and so are able to collect our own. Others, perhaps the
>majority, are inland shell aficionadoes, have scanty vacations or scarce
>funds, are too infirm or busy to pursue their own shells, etc. These
>shell-struck folks must find another way to satisfy their desire for
>knowledge and for the objects of their devotion -- trading or shell dealers.
>And to trade, let's face it, one needs some trading stock.
>
>Without shell dealers, our hobby would be much thinner on the ground.
>Perhaps there would not even be enough of us to make a difference, to
>publicize the mollusks, to make people aware of the need to conserve them as
>well as the birds, the wildflowers, the fish, the mammals that exist as
>symbols for "Our Vanishing Wildlife."  Recently we had much discussion on
>the number of younger shellers we had on this list.  It is from the young
>among us that some of the very best malacologists grow.  Far fewer of us
>would mean far fewer of them coming along. There'd hardly be a COA, and
>without it, our grants to malacology would disappear, and a lot less
>molluscan research would be undertaken as a result.  We could play around
>with this game of "For want of a shoe the horse was lost" for a good while
>longer. The potential losses (besides the oft cited loss of great pleasure
>in and appreciation for the natural world), it would seem, are immense.
>
>But what I really want to stimulate is a good look at the benefits offered
>by our dealers. My vehicle for that exercise is a description of My Ideal
>Dealer.
>
>My Ideal Dealer would publish a list with lots of exciting specimens of the
>families in which I am interested. He'd have the best of the best, stuff
>none of the others would be offering. Of course! But there would be much
>else he would do to recommend himself as My Ideal.
>
>My ideal Dealer would collect many of his wares himself, and be prepared to
>tell me about their habitats, their faunal associations, the lifestyles
>which often differentiate between two closely-related species. He would be a
>person hungry to learn more about his wares, to discover new information
>about the animals which produce them, to understand why they live as they do
>and produce the kinds of shells they do, why they are scarce or plentiful,
>what dangers their kind face. He would be an expert to whom I could turn for
>dependable and stimulating information.
>
>My Ideal Dealer would pad his offerings with interesting marine curiosities
>to feed my hunger for knowledge about the sea and about life on earth. If I
>am armchair bound, I depend upon him to take me "over world horizons":
>specimens of Spondylus still bearing their minute communities for my study
>and investigation, or brachiopods, those "texas longhorn" bryozoans,
>urchins, glass sponges, the fantasia of the ocean world.
>
>My Ideal Dealer would not pad his offerings with specimens of common shells
>offered under new or little known synonyms.  I have nothing against knowing
>that this is the form known as "rosea" or "blankwateri."  In fact I would
>like to know this, but I would hope he would not entice me into buying one
>more specimen of Cypraea felina under an exotic name for an exotic price.
>(Never mind that I should know better myself! We're talking ideal, remember.)
>
>My Ideal Dealer would flesh out his list with interesting comments and
>tidbits about the shells he offers for sale. "A rare deepwater form only
>taken in the waters off s. Tasmania, it has blood-red stripes."
>
>My Ideal Dealer would be honest in his description of the specimens he
>offers for sale. Goes without saying, really.
>
>My Ideal Dealer would know all about the shells he sells me, their normal
>habitat, correct authors, exact spelling, up-to-date taxonomic assignment.
>
>My Ideal Dealer would provide excellent data for the shells he sends me, on
>attractive labels, perhaps even "works of art" on which he would give real
>information, dropping all those extraneous space fillers like "collected on"
>before the habitat and "of water" after the depth. He would have purchased
>the best available, in terms of data as well as specimens, so that he would
>have the best to sell to me. He would be honest to a fault, saying that the
>specimen had a tiny nick in the nacre which detracted from its gem quality,
>if he knew I was a collector to whom this would matter. He wouldn't sell me
>a cowrie with a worm tube scraped off the inside, saying it was "personally
>live taken."
>
>My Ideal Dealer would be interested in me and my collection. He would
>remember (or keep notes about) what I am interested in, what he has sold me
>in the past, what I need, what would make nice additions to my collection.
>When he sends me "gift" shells, as a few dealers still do, he would send
>shells which fit well with my collection, not just obvious clunkers he
>happened to have on hand. Yeah, I know...shouldn't look a gift horse in the
>mouth, but this is My Ideal.
>
>My Ideal Dealer would deal with my orders promptly and with care. If
>something is damaged in shipment, he would take the return with good grace,
>making every effort to replace the damaged or unsatisfactory shell. Heck, my
>Ideal Dealer would never even send an unsatisfactory shell! He would pack
>with care and clean materials, and he would consider how I will get that
>tape-covered little package open when it arrives. My Ideal Dealer might even
>mark the place on the box for me to insert my blade to begin slitting the
>tape maze!
>
>My Ideal Dealer would give back to the hobby which gives him his livelihood:
>
>My Ideal Dealer would give of his knowledge. He would have so much knowledge
>to offer!  After all, he handles all those shells...who better to understand
>the limits of a species well, the varieties, the freaks, the size range, the
>geographical extent?  He would tell me in small notes accompanying
>purchases, how he knows this cone is this and not that. Or whether this is a
>normal specimen or an unusual one.
>
>My Ideal Dealer would offer this knowledge to the shell world through
>articles in club newsletters, in American Conchologist and the other
>international publications, on Conch-L. Perhaps he would even write books
>setting forth his understanding gained through experience. He would give
>talks at club meetings an conventions.
>
>My Ideal Dealer would be a willing participant in Conchologists of America,
>supporting the organization that gives strength to U.S. shelling, serving in
>any capacity he can,  helping with shell shows and trophies, serving in
>board positions, on both the governing board and the editorial board,
>helping with meetings and conventions, assisting with the Lambis Group who
>create and manage COA's Internet presence, strengthening this entire bond
>that COA represents.
>
>My Ideal Dealer would support and participate in a shell club, hopefully the
>one of my choice, attending its shows, donating to its auction, having a
>care for its health and welfare. Perhaps he would even lead or form a shell
>club in his own area, providing guidance and adhesive for his club and
>promoting it.
>
>Pretty stiff requirements to be My Ideal Dealer, right?  But I caution you
>again to remember we are talking ideals.  Still, as I constructed "My Ideal
>Dealer" I drew inspiration from the kindnesses and noble or selfless acts
>that I have known shell dealers to perform for their customers and for the
>shelling community on a frequent, sometimes daily basis. I know that there
>are shell dealers doing each and every one of these services I mention.  It
>would be great if there were such a shell dealer, but also it would be
>impossible. No human shell dealer could, in a single lifetime, fulfill all
>these wants!
>
>But there's a community of them out there, and all of them have something to
>offer in the way of Ideal Dealerhood. They each do special things, fill
>special needs, have special kindnesses to offer.  We can make our own
>composite Ideal Dealer by getting to know them and giving them a chance,
>instead of finding fault with them as a group. I, for one, want to thank
>them as a group for their services to us.
>
>Lynn Scheu
>