Andrew,

I'd just as soon be called Tom. Actually as a generic term I like "private collector" and for those who have really gotten into it, "conchologist." But in the end, I stick with my first sentence.

Tom Eichhorst in New Mexico, USA

> We had a discussion awhile back on what to call the person who collects > shells without having a degree or license to do so. They aren't > 'professional malacologists' and they aren't 'shell dealers'. We used to > call them 'amateur collectors' but for some reason that term is going out of > favor these days. 'Hobbyist' is inadequate to describe some of these people, > who may be extremely knowledgeable and sometimes have very large > collections. 'Conchologist' may be uncomfortably formal for collectors at > the other end of the spectrum, who may be very un-knowledgeable and have no > desire to study (ology) their shells (conch). 'Non-professional' is negative > and sounds like an insult ('unprofessional'). > > Paleontologist Earl Manning (Tulane University) suggests the phrase 'private > collector' as a generic term. That is apt, since there are private art > collectors, and they buy and sell art occasionally like most shell > collectors without losing their 'amateur' status. Once in a long while, > indeed, an art collector is admiringly called an 'amaTEUR' with the > cultivated French pronunciation emphasizing the original meaning, 'lover (of > the arts)', but no one considers this an insult. Flattery, perhaps. > > So, how about it, Conchlers? Would you like to be called 'private > collectors', and occasionally, if you're really good at it, 'amaTEURS'? > > Andrew K. Rindsberg > Geological Survey of Alabama >