here - Geological Curators Group

THE PRICE OF FOSSILSAngela Milner and Ian Rolfe are collectinginformation on historic and present prices offossils, as a guide to current pricingpractice (and thus to insurance and indemnityvalues of museum collections). To make thisstudy reliable, they would welcome datedexamples of prices that museums and othershave paid for fossils, or for collections ofthem. They need examples of expensive,mid-range and cheap fossils; copies of oldpriced lists of fossils are particularlywelcome, as are illustrations of pricedspecimens, references thereto, and referencesto discussion of this topic. Results will bepresented at a Geological Curators' Group1Palaeontological Association/GeologicalSociety meeting, 'The Conservation ofPalaeontological Sites' (at the GeologicalSociety. Burlington House, Piccadilly, London1-2 October 19871, and published thereafter.Please contact them at the PalaeontologyDepartment, British Museum (Natural History),Cromwell Road, London SW1 5BD (tel. 01 5896323 ext.727) or the National Museums ofScotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF(tel. 031 225 7534 ext.239).ensuring accurate immortality in print (evenWho's Who entries do not necessarily fallinto this category). To avoid complicationswith the Data Protection Act, informationrelating to living persons can remain on A4printed forms, and not stored in a computersystem. Further forms may be used to recorddetails in museum archives and collections(copies again being sent to a centralarchive).I would be grateful for comments on the'HiographyIObituary Form' and any suggestionsfor its improvement .'VICTORIAN MINERAL COLLECTION FOR SALEEx the late Henry Bramall Esq. FGS, Coalownerof Lancashire. Comprising a set of threemahogany cabinets, each of ten drawers,complete with mineral specimens andcatalogue. Inspection can be arranged byappointment. Offers invited.Apply David Bick, Pound House, Newent, Glos.(Tel. 0531 820650). Note: the collectionwould preferably be retained as a whole.A RECORDING FORM FOR BIOGRAPHIES ANDOBITUARIESJohn Cooper (121 Hayes Chase, West Wickham,Kent BR4 OHY) writes:'For nearly fifteen years now the TertiaryResearch Group has employed the 'Biography1Obituary Form' (commonly called the 'BiobitForm'), at present in its Mark 111 version,to record details of some of its members.The purpose of the form is twofold: firstly,to record the details of the lives of theliving whilst they are still with us; andsecondly, to act as a framework on which torecord details of persons now deceased, frompublished and hearsay sources. In this way,it is hoped that curators will be able tomake the work of themselves, researchers andcompilers much easier, or at least to providea 'skeleton' for further studies.After finally reading through the stupendouswork Palaeontolo~ical Collections byRon Cleevely (19831, a book that no curatoror museum should be without, I have producedthe Mark IV version of the Biobit Form whichhas extra categories (see copy enclosed withthis issue of Geol. Curator). At this point,may we all join together in urging RonCleevely and the British Museum (NaturalHistory) to produce the intended second,enlarged edition of this invaluable referencework, or at least a supplementary volume?Ideally, every curator should fill in atleast one copy of the Biobit Form forhimlherself, and update it every three tofive years or so, or more frequently as theyget older. Another copy with basic andnon-confidential details could be sent to acentral source (?Ran Cleevely) and storeduntil needed. The personal or moreconfidential copy should be kept with one'sWill or archives, with instructions for it tobe released upon one's decease, therebyThe Royal Geological Society of Cornwall lastyear launched an appeal for E200.000 tofinance urgent major structural repairs toits home, St. John's Hall, Penzance. Sinceits construction in 1867 the West Wing ofthis fine granite building has housed theSociety's museum (open to the public in thesummer months), lecture room and library. In1952 St. John's Hall was designated a GradeI1 listed building.Because of deterioration to the fabric of thebuilding the museum was forced to close.Nevertheless, the appeal is being supportedby the local business community withdonations already received from the Bristoland West Building Society, and the majorclearing banks.Further details of the appeal can be obtainedfrom Doreen Byron, Appeals Organiser,Sportsmans Ash, Teston Road, West MallingKent (at home on 0732 849017, or at work forRentokil, London Road, East Grinstead on 034227171).DAMAGE TO MINERALOGICAL SITESMembers of the Northern Branch Committee ofthe Russell Society had their attention drawnto several instances of severe damage toimportant mineralogical sites in the LakeDistrict. In particular, the outcrop of theWet Swine Gill antimony vein on CaldbeckFells and a lead-bearing vein on ButtermereFells have suffered excavation andover-collecting to such an extent that littlemineralisation can now be seen g& at theformer locality. Specimens from bothlocalities, no doubt obtained by theseactivities, have appeared for sale in themineralogical 'trade'.