Andy,

Comment to you survey are below.

Regards,
Charlie
******************************************************************************
Charlie Sturm, Jr
Research Associate - Section of Mollusks
                     Carnegie Museum of Natural History
                     Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Assistant Professor - Family Medicine

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On Wed, 8 Sep 2004, Andy Rindsberg wrote:

> Dear Shellers,
>
> I recently read a book about people who are obsessed with collecting
> orchids. The author said that only a few kinds of natural objects capture so
> many people's attention in this way, and mentioned butterfly and shell
> collectors as people who are similarly obsessed with beauty. Indeed.
>
> So let's look into this. If you like, please answer one or all of these
> questions, on line or in private:
>
> What kinds of shells take your breath away?
>
 I am particularly fond of the Pectinidae, fossil or Recent. I also like
the Family Muricidae

> Do you spend more time collecting and caring for shells, or just looking at
> them?
>
I spend more time curating the collection (cleaning, cataloging) than I do
collecting or looking at shells just for the sake of admiring them.

> Do you display your shells?
>
 No

> Do you collect books about shells?
>
 Yes. I try to acquire as much of the literature as I can afford and that
relates to my interests. I have quite a few items in languages that I
don't understand -Chinese, Russian, Hungarian- however, if I ever need the
reference at least I have it and now I will only have to find the
translator. Most of these items deal with the Pectinidae.

> Do you talk much about them to other people, or is it a private activity?
>
Mostly a private activity, however, if someone is interested I will talk,
and talk, and talk, etc.

> Do you appreciate shells for their looks or the way they feel?
>
 The way they look. I get no specific satisfaction from that tactile
sensations. I do find the variations in for, both macro and microsculpture
very fasinating.

> Is a living mollusk more beautiful, or a cleaned shell?
>
Since I started out in paleontology, the shell is more interesting. I
rarely collect live material. I do enjoy watching live specimens when I
see them in the field.


> Are self-collected specimens more precious, or those that cost a lot of
> money?
>
Cost has no bearing on things. Self-collected or traded material often
evoke fond memories; something a purchased specimen rarely does (unless
won in a tough auction :-)

> Please feel free to send private notes if you prefer -- I may quote them on
> the server, but won't identify you.
>
> Cheers,
> Andrew
>
> Andrew K. Rindsberg
> Geological Survey of Alabama
>
>
>

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