I have known Arthur ('Tuur') Van den Broucke very well. He owned and operated a quite large natural stone (tiles) factory and trade company in Waregem, Western Flanders, Belgium, and during his trips throughout the world he always purchased museum quality mineral specimens. Many of them were given to him by e.g. Brazilian quarry owners where he bought his primary materials for the fabrication of natural stone tiles.

In the seventies-eighties he constructed a new industrial building, and 1993 he installed a large private museum named 'Steengoed'. I have visited the museum several times; I roughly estimate a surface of about 15 by 50 m (750 sq. m), with thousands of high quality specimens, also of quite rare minerals. I also visited him some times at home. Unfortunately his company went bankrupt in 1999, and the museum was considered as part of the company. So in 2002 there was a public auction of 734 lots of mineral and fossils (of which I bought about 100 or so); there was even a wine collection for sale (which, BTW I did not buy :>). It was on a Saturday, and on Monday I had to travel 4 times back and forth to Waregem to collect all the stuff that I eventually purchased during that auction. I  still have a WORD version of the catalogue of the auction. Anyway, so many things happened that day, that I could write a book about it. I attach a typical label from that collection. If you see a specimen accompanied by such a label, with the 'Kern materiaal' logo can be sure that it comes from the collection of Arthur. If you want more information I'm always willing to provide it if I can. Grts, Rik Dillen (rik.dillen@skynet.be).

P.S. I just realize that I don't find a way to attach an image to this message - please contact me so that I can send it by e-mail.