Q: "I've noticed you are really buying a lot of art off ebay...is that
were you are getting your old references?"
 
A: Who are you calling old?
 
Well, yes and no.  It is true I am buying tons of ferret-related stuff
off ebay, but not for the references.  In most cases, I am ALREADY am
aware of the reference, but may not have a suitable copy of the artwork.
Artwork is very difficult to photocopy, and some older books are so
fragile libraries allow you to view them, but do not allow them to be
pushed flat against the glass of a copy machine.  I consider obtaining
the materials a type of salvage operation, since all historic ferret
materials in my posession are willed to the Smithsonian or the National
Archives.
 
I am writing the first, extensive history on the domesticated ferret,
using historic archaeological techniques.  One of those techniques is
to use secondary and tertiary references to prove the knowledge and
existence of ferrets within a community where the existence of the animal
may be in dispute.  For example, in the United States, the state of
California suggests ferrets have only in the country since the 1880s, the
time of the organization of the first ferret farms in New York, New
Jersey and Ohio.  However, I have ample evidence that ferrets were in the
USA since at least 1770 (and implied evidence from even earlier).  For
example, I have a hand-writen letter from 1866 asking a person in
Connecticut to sell a pair of ferrets for ratting.
 
Imagine the wall of your den lined with file storage boxes stacked nine
rows long and six boxes high, with perhaps another couple of boxes worth
of files piled on top.  Those boxes, which would fill nearly 10 4-drawer
file cabinets, are completely filled with ferret references!  I once
showed Linda Iroff a limited Excell file (20 references only for
illustrative purposes) that held a complete JPG scan of the reference,
as well as EXTENSIVE indexing of the contents.  That file is now fills
more than 18 CDs, allowing me to reference ALL historic materials within
a few seconds notice, and is formated to Excell, Filemaker, and Endnote.
I am currently working on extending the indexing to include veterinary
references (I have hundreds of historic vet references already included)
and related zoological materials.  I am including the information in the
many ferret newsletters that are mailed to me, as well as donations by
my many friends.  When I finish, the file will contain ALL references
(currently 10,000+), burned to PDF files, JPGs, and contained in Endnote,
Excell, Word, and Filemaker formats, all cross-referenced and indexed.
THAT is what is being donated to the Smithsonian and National Archives,
along with all originals.  It is the least I can do considering what
ferrets have given to me.
 
Be kind when bidding against me on eBay.
 
Bob C
[Posted in FML issue 3983]