Hello all,
Someone noticed my just very recently about this topic and the discussion about my article on Mindat.
Before making any minds up you should translate the original Dutch text decently into German to avoid mistakes. My article on Mindat says clearly that my selected collecting criteria are only useful if you want to build up a collection of aesthetic minerals. It is obvious that those people who collect micromounts or systematic minerals, or collect by locality, or collect only self collected specimens, that these groups of collectors use totally different collecting criteria. As an experienced field collector I understand better then anyone else that when you are self collecting at a quarry, that only very few specimens meets these high level criteria, but that you still could go home very satisfied and be very happy with the specimens that you have collected that day. I was one of the very few field collectors in Belgium who had a written and permanent permission on my name for more than 15 years in a row to collect at the major limestone quarries in southern Belgium and that until these mines closed some years ago. So a collector of aesthetic specimens is not necessarily that inexperienced as some of you dare to insinuate...
Truly, I really don't mind at all if most collectors don't want to collect on a higher level, because a mineral collection reflects the preferences of the individual. We have all a different taste, a different interest, a different budget, and a different focus on how to build our collection. Not one of my close friends collect (for different reasons) on the same level that I collect, but they are all still good friends to my, and we are always happy to show our collections to each other, no matter what the focus on the collection is. If everyone was only interested in those high grade specimens, that would only increases the already high prices for good specimens only more and more.
No, the main reason why I wrote this article is because there are a lot people who are trying to build a aesthetic collection, but they are totally unaware that so many different evaluations criteria's exist. Some people spending big money on specimens from behind their computer, without have visit a mineral show in their entire life, simply by follow the "superlative descriptions" on the dealers website. And at mineral shows I see so many "experienced" collectors who are collecting for many years and who are spending thousands of euro’s on a big or colorful, or severely damaged and almost worthless mineral specimen that meets not one of my criteria ! So why is it wrong to inform these "experienced" and inexperienced collectors by enumerate the various collecting criteria in a article ? Because when the large group of "experienced" collectors paying already thousands of euro’s on a almost worthless, damaged, or highly overpriced specimen to a dealer, can you imagine what the price will be with that same dealer whenever he has a specimen for sale that is really good !
Most posted comments here are irrelevant and proves that some people have not the slightest idea what is written in the article, or that the posted pictures refers to one of the eleven handled criteria in the article; QUOTE: ...Ich habe den Artikel von Mario Pauwels bei mindat mal angeschaut... Die abgebildeten Stufen sehen irgendwie nicht natürlich aus und sind es vermutlich auch nicht.... To me it is very sad that people like Uwe, who have not the slightest idea how aesthetic specimens might look, dare to insinuate that the specimens in my collection are fake or are not natural, only because of their own lack of knowledge !
Another comment that I read in many of your postings is "investment". Of course there are some collectors who see a mineral collection as a investment, because they are told by the mineral dealer that it is a very good investment to justify their high asking prices... To me collecting is a passion and a joy, and there is not one single specimen in my personal collection that I have bought as an investment, simply because I don't have the intention to sell any of my specimens until I can replace a certain species by a better specimen from the same locality. Collecting fine specimens has nothing to do with elitism but everything with taste. So those collectors who are thinking that it is 'all about the money' are totally wrong. The most important thing is to develop a certain taste for fine specimens and to search prudently and patiently for specimens. And my article on collecting criteria is for those collectors who are interested, only a guideline in their developing process.
To be honest, I think that most of your comments have nothing to do with the content of the article itself, but have everything to do with the envious attitude against collectors who collect highly aesthetic specimens. It looks that spending big money on a fancy car, or buying the newest audio system, or the latest iPhone is widely accepted for everyone. But buying fine, tasteful and patiently selected mineral specimens when you are passionate about minerals, is totally unacceptable and "not done" to some fellow collectors. And this envy, or is it jealousy, is very very sad....
Best regards, Mario Pauwels
Collecting fine specimens has nothing to do with elitism but everything with taste !