Hello to all,


Yes, the previous mails on the subject are all correct. The fraud start only
when the buyer is not informed.

Now,  in Mactan experienced dealers will get a try - it's a game and not a
game - when a dealer buys a fake, the whole community of local dealers will
enjoy it and it will spread as fire. But as most dealers are experienced -
it doesn't happen often.
And at the end, when you take a close look to the shell you can tell from
the faces of the vendors that they enjoy already - and often they will start
laughing and tell of course.

Occasionally, they are proud of their work and sell it as a piece of art -
was the case with the white Harpa and some other whites. That's how I
learned they put them on the roof for a couple of months.

The occasional collector - better study the homepage first now. I've seen
too many disappointed collectors when they realize they don't have the real
thing - it is very harmful for our collector's society because it is one of
the main reason beginners don't continue collecting.

As for the in general very gentle Visayans here, they love to make fake
things - they love to make giant shells - and everything beautiful. They are
very talented and recently I asked them to make me a 30 cm nudibranch from
Philippe's photographs: it's great - we think to market these creations in
the future.

For more on the subject which is very vast:

Animal Fakes and Frauds
    from famous Peter Dance

Is good reading !!

You can find it easily on
http://www.bookfinder.com


He describes that fakes appear when there is a shortage of the real thing on
the market and prices are high and supply non existing.
But it's a whole book.

Also on the subject, but in science, not in history: received today Owen
Gingerich latest book - thanks Owen - "The book nobody read".
The Mactan people are fun compared to the stories in there !!

Thanks for appreciating the homepage. Guido - and yes we will make a
systematic overview of the methods and how to detect.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
[log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs
To leave this list, click on the following web link:
http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1
Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and
click leave the list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------