[meteorite-list] NPA 12-01-1902 Homemade Meteorites, Counterfeiters Arrested

[MARK BOSTICK]

Paper: Daily Review
City: Decatur, Illinois
Date: Monday Evening, December 1, 1902
Page: 2


HOMEMADE METEORITES

     Genuine meteorites are so rare and bring such high prices among museums 
and scientific collectors that it is perhaps not surprising that sharp 
practices should resorted to by unscrupulous dealers in scientific 
curiosities.

     A band of meteorite counterfeiters was recently captured and 
considerable evidence obtained of very curious and ingenious methods for 
seducing the gullible collector.  The members of this band were Corsicans.  
It was their practice to obtain natural rock resembling meteors as closely 
as possible and then to burn them in order to produce a black crust which is 
one of the trade marks of every genuine meteorite.  The pieces of rock were 
coated with lamp-black dissolved in molten sulphur.  It seems, however, that 
this method was so crude that the deception was easily discovered, and the 
men for forthwith arrested.

(end)

Thats it for today.

Mark Bostick
Wichita, Kansas
www.meteoritearticles.com