I certianly do not wish to upset Donald, who is doing an exemplary job
maintaining and improving upon the Molluscs net (one of my favorite shell
sites!), or accuse him of anything, but i feel ***quite*** uncomfortable that
the idea of a "DEADBEAT List" which any dealer can recommend people for,  has
once again surfaced.  There are indeed a few (thank goodness only a VERY few!!)
"bad eggs" in the Shell World, but even with these, i do not feel their names
and alleged thefts (which is what not paying for shells recieved and kept is)
should be published for the world to see, as if they were convicted criminals
that had  been through a trial and found guilty by a judge and jury.// That
issue aside, it has been the experience in the past that this sort of list tends
to almost inevitably acquire the names of a few perfectly honest shellers who
did not pay for a variety of non-criminal reasons: they were ill for a long
period (or even died, in one instance i heard of, with a previous incarnation of
such a list!!!), they in fact did not recieve the shells, or they or someone in
their family lost the package, or the shells were in fact returned and they were
lost in the mail, or they moved with inadequate or mixed-up forwarding addresses
- the list of perfectly innocent reasons is quite long, in fact!!

        If and when someone is accused publically, such as via such a list of supposed
"deadbeats" (read "thieves"), their reputation is seriously damaged even if they
are later proven to be innocent. I think there are better ways for a dealer to
protect him or herself: they can ask new customers who ask for shells before
payment, for references: a couple of established dealers who can vouch for them,
for example: it is my opinion that the circulation of Lists of Ill-Repute, even
if done privately amongst a circle of dealers, and most especially if done
completely publically, is an extreme, dangerous, and unnessessary way of digging
up the very few ragweeds in our more-honest-than-most community-garden of
Conchologists and collectors: a reputation, once badly damaged, can take a long
time to heal!!

Cautious in Canada,
Ross.



Ross Mayhew: Schooner Specimen Shells: Http://www.schnr-specimen-shells.com
"We Specialize in the Unusual"
Phone: (902) 876-2241; Fax: (416) - 352- 7415.
But try to find "something for Everyone"!!
Snail Mail: 349 Herring Cove Rd, P.O Box 20005, Halifax, N.S., Canada, B3R 2K9.