Auction catalogue - Butterfield & Butterfield | Natural History | 1998

I was inordinately pleased to pull this catalogue out of my randomly selected envelope.  The first thing I ever remember wanting to be as a child was a paleontologist.  Dr. C was talking about conflicts of interest, and, after practically salivating on the catalogue, I definitely understand why this could be an issue. ;)

Butterfield & Butterfield, "Fine Art Auctioneers and Appraisers since 1865," held their first natural history auction in May, 1998.  San Francisco branch director David Herskowitz said on the inside cover of the catalogue, "I tried to choose the very finest specimens available, hand selected from private collections as well as from the property of field collectors. [...] We are offering a truly comprehensive group of specimens..."  Indeed they did.  Lots included fossils, minerals, meteorites, amberized organisms, skeletons, shells, coral, and the occasional projectile point.  Here are some interesting lots:

7198 (pictured above): Meteorite from Australia, "the prized showpiece of the Macovich Collection." Est. 150,000-200,000.

7216: Coprolite. Miocene.  "Measuring 11.75", clearly showing the muscular striations." (They are not kidding.  I'll spare you the image.)  Est. 500-650.

7222: Walrus baculum (look it up if you really want to know, which you quite possibly do not).  Pleistocene.  Est. 350-550.

7243: Articulated Mosasaur skeleton.  Upper Cretaceous.  20.5' long (!!).  Est. 40,000-60,000.

7317 (pictured at left): Agatized Rapana vaquerosensis.  Miocene.  Est. 450-650.

7319 (pictured at right, bottom): Ammonite and orthoceros plate.  Devonian.  23"x23".  Est. 700-900.  (My favorite item in the catalogue.)

7321 (pictured at right, top): Orthoceros plate.  Ordovician.  36.5"x26".  Est. 800-1200.

Lab hours: Week 4

- 10 mins: Reading/contributing to exhibit concept online discussion
- 25 mins: Reading/contributing to design development online discussion
- 20 mins: Reading class blogs
- 3hr 15 mins: Field trip to Statewide Museum Collections Center
_______________

4hr 10 min total

Note to self: research links (to be updated)

Botany - Geological Survey of California, 1880  (p. 557 AF "collected about 1852-54")

Journal of William H. Brewer 1860-64 (p. 218-19 discusses AF)

Historical Newspaper Archive @ ubc.ca

Derby[shire] directory 1846 (Amos listed as surgeon other stuff too??)


Quarterly Journal, Geological Society of London, 1858 (Amos)


Faith and Thought: Journal of the Victoria Institute (Amos listed as member 1866)

AF Beardsley - apples - 1859 (google books)

Sacramento Protestant Orphan Asylum -- bigger image, 1868

More research links for Team PT (Carrie's blog)

George's early years (Carrie's blog)

California Digital Newspaper Collection

"Journal of Miss A.K. Wellman" 

Letter Openers: Works of Art on the Desk

Lab Hours: Week 3

- 30 mins: photographing of assigned artifacts
- 25 mins: editing and posting photos to blog
- 30 mins: reading/contributing to online concept development discussion
- 15 mins: reading/commenting on others' blogs
_______
Total 100 mins (1hr 40min)

Richard K. Beardsley, archaeologist

This gentleman was briefly mentioned in Anthro 111 today.

So ... ?

Artifacts: photos

I apologize for the grainy device attached to my phone which likes to call itself a "camera."

Clockwise from upper left:
 "Small metal scabbard"
 "Fish hook, shell and bone with iron back"
 "Walrus ornaments from Alaska"
 "Blue glass bead necklace"

Lab Hours: Week 2

 - 45 min: blog creation
 - 20 min: ID of artifacts from accession records
-  60 min: retrieval and examination of artifacts in the museum
- 30 min: online research - scabbard
_____
2hrs 35min total

Accessions: reference

74-2-16 | Arch Tray 449 | "Fish hook, shell and bone with iron back."

74-2-43 | P10 | "Small metal scarbbard [sic]."

74-2-49 | Arch Tray 449 | "Blue glass bead necklace."

74-2-53 | P7 | "Walrus ornaments from Alaska."

per Typescript accession sheets c. 1974