Quoting [log in to unmask]:

> That has been my pet peeve about dealers for years. I want to know if a
> shell came from Mr. X's collection. It would mean more to me to have that
> information. I know almost all put their generic label on shells.
> Meaningless.

* worse, any removal of old labels is as terrible a violation of
proper handling of specimens as one can well imagine, short of
destroying or falsifying data.

fred.
=====================================================
>
> In a message dated 3/30/2014 1:23:55 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
>
> Another aspect to this topic that has not been mentioned  is data.  Some
> collectors will pay a premium for specimens with full  collection data
> (specific locality, habitat information, name of collector,  date of
> collection,
> etc.).  Other collectors will pay a premium for a  shell that is exceptional
> for its beauty, but has only basic data (e.g.  Philippines).
>
> I have had dealers try to convince me that a "specimen  shell" is simply an
> example in perfect condition rather than a shell that may  have been
> collected dead, covered in sponge holes, but with a sheet of highly  specific
> collection data.
>
> I have learned that some dealers will destroy old data  slips and create a
> new data slip for the shell so that competitors do not  learn where to look
> for more specimens from the old data.  When was the  last time you saw a
> dealer that sold old labels with specimens?
>
> A few times, though, I have been able to buy from  collections and get the
> old labels along with the purchase.  In a few  cases, I have been able to
> find paratypes through the information on the old  labels.  Unfortunately,
> this is a rare occurance.  It was once  surprising to me how many
> primary types
> were lost, but I am no longer  mystified.
>
> Bill Fenzan
> Norfolk, VA,  USA
>
>
>



------------------------------------------------------------
          Frederick W. Schueler & Aleta Karstad
Bishops Mills Natural History Centre - http://pinicola.ca/bmnhc.htm
Mudpuppy Night in Oxford Mills - http://pinicola.ca/mudpup1.htm
Daily Paintings - http://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com/
          South Nation Basin Art & Science Book
          http://pinicola.ca/books/SNR_book.htm
     RR#2 Bishops Mills, Ontario, Canada K0G 1T0
   on the Smiths Falls Limestone Plain 44* 52'N 75* 42'W
    (613)258-3107 <bckcdb at istar.ca> http://pinicola.ca/
------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------
[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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------