Les Lat--just where do I get more...

[SliceOfLife]

Ya I'll rehash my experience with him.

Bid on a stone I was confident would be decent from looks... b/c of shipping decided to throw low stabs at some of the more "interesting" stones listed as well. Wound up losing all, including the first; except for a lot of like 5 or 6 smallish pieces... mostly odd looking stuff, including some hybrid-looking pieces that absolutely aren't hybrid.

Tested them all and pretty much across the board they were what I'd call "decent modern coti" to "decent but not great vintage coti" range... maybe I got lucky? Maybe I got unlucky? I didn't walk away saying "This guy is a diamond in the rough", but prior to the experience I assumed he sold a lot of barely useable but cool looking material with a few nice stones thrown in... Now I'm thinking he may have a lot more "decent" material than I gave him credit for... but always be prepared to test and return if what you get isn't useable... I would suggest.

 

[rideon66]

Ya I'll rehash my experience with him.

Bid on a stone I was confident would be decent from looks... b/c of shipping decided to throw low stabs at some of the more "interesting" stones listed as well. Wound up losing all, including the first; except for a lot of like 5 or 6 smallish pieces... mostly odd looking stuff, including some hybrid-looking pieces that absolutely aren't hybrid.

Tested them all and pretty much across the board they were what I'd call "decent modern coti" to "decent but not great vintage coti" range... maybe I got lucky? Maybe I got unlucky? I didn't walk away saying "This guy is a diamond in the rough", but prior to the experience I assumed he sold a lot of barely useable but cool looking material with a few nice stones thrown in... Now I'm thinking he may have a lot more "decent" material than I gave him credit for... but always be prepared to test and return if what you get isn't useable... I would suggest.

In the beginning he was selling a lot of odd vintage with a mix of what I think was pseudo coticule. He had bought an old wall of rock that he was cutting up and selling mostly as la verte or hybid. It was all really hard and slow or not cutting at all. Now most of what he has seems to be either from Ardennes or old Burton and other old stocks he has found with a price to match. He may have sold all the old Burtons though haven't checked in a while.