Hi Guido,
Yes I have collected live E. scalare in Kuwait. Four
specimens reside in my collection.
Fred in MN
 
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> From: Guido Poppe <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Fultons Cowrie
> Date: Tuesday, January 12, 1999 8:59 AM
>
> Yes,
>
> this was in the air for some time. But as Ed told, Amorim
is not giving
> away. He is honest, and keeps the price according to the
quantity/price
> from what he buys from the fisherman. Offer and demand.
>
> Already in Aarschot last year many were offered, but the
quality was not
> there. Several people repolished these shells and sold
them for genuine...
>
> Shell people have to keep this price situation in mind
all the time.
>
> Now, this is not dramatic, as the ones paying the 4000 $
for the fultoni,
> in general theyalso paid the 50 $ for the perlae and the
200 $ for the
> mariellae, the 200 $ for the kuroharai, the 300 $ for the
midwayensis, the
> 20 $ for the rashleighana, the 10 $ for the artuffeli,
and this list can
> fill the complete page. Still many bright stars from the
conchological
> world can go down in price before the advanced collector
should start
> thinking about.
>
> In the disussions on this subject: fultoni in the very
beginning of when it
> became more common, sold at 4000 medium price. I
personally do not know a
> single individual having paid 10000$. The 25000 $ story I
do not know where
> this happened.
>
> On the other hand, I've seen a written 17th century
manuscript with, if I
> remember well, the price in gold guilders 16000 for
Epitonium scalare.
> Translated in the gold value from today, this shell has
been paid around 6
> 000 000 $ (am I wrong ?) This was, of course, before the
Bonnard sale. (See
> Peter Dance for similar funny facts). The old fakes match
around 20000$
> when sold in London auction houses. Fakes from the fakes,
sold as such by
> Lan about 15 years ago went for 100 $. The real thing is
underpriced, as
> still very hard to find. As far as I know only a couple
of fisherman know
> where and how to get them in the Philippines.
>
> Did somebody on this gopher find himself a living scalare
?
>
> Best regards, Guido
>
> Visit Conchology, with over 50000 names with author, 3800
indicated type
> species, 5000 conchological images, and fun with shells.
>
> http://www.conchology.uunethost.be/