Potters Treasure Divers Guide

ropesfish

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Jun 3, 2007
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did I ever tell you my elderly next door neighbor is kin to Art McKee ? --she might even know who has his research "papers" ? --I been buttering her up for sometime now -- she likes me since I chased off some "home invasion robbers" from her and her husbands house a few years back with my shotgun..

art had the "original tourist place " for treasure seekers visiting florida to look at treasure.

Karen McKee inherited Art's papers. Kevin McKee inherited the museum. Karen is sometimes available to do research on projects.
 

ARC

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And like whoa... this ole thread lives again. :)
 

Old Bookaroo

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Dec 4, 2008
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I'm late to this party. I'm glad to read you think so much of Phil's book. The first copy I saw was a comb-bound edition that he was selling, basically, one at a time. I thought it really had merit - a new approach to an old subject. And you can't honestly say that about many treasure hunting titles.

So we worked out a deal and I financed the first printing (blue and gold cover - the one shown on Amazon). We sold a the first hundred signed, numbered copies with some goodies he put together and it was well received. I had a mailing list with many professionals and almost all of them bought it and also thought highly of it.

A few years ago I saw one of those copies go under the hammer on eBay for what I thought was an eagle sum.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo, CM
 

Old Bookaroo

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Do you have any maps from Frank Hudson?

I know this is a stale thread - the stake was just taken out of its heart. Did you find this map? There's only one I'm aware of.

I might be able to help you with that.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo, CM
 

ropesfish

Bronze Member
Jun 3, 2007
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Yessir, I can resurrect a thread from the dead and breathe new life into it! At least this one hasn't been interred for 9 years like the last one. :icon_thumleft:

Actually, I am trying to figure out a couple of things about Phil Olin and his book and this seemed like the place to do it. I've never met him, but I like the way he thinks. I've repeated a lot of the same research that he put in his book, particularly the new addition to the revised edition. I am sure it saved a lot of folks a lot of time. I wish I had had a copy 15 years ago. It would have shortened a number of learning curves.
I know that there was the original loose-leaf comb edition that he printed himself. My present copy is imprinted "Treasure, The Business and Technology 1998 Revised Edition". signed by Phil, the signature is possibly dated 2001.
My questions, to whosoever might know, are these -
1) Is Phil still around and participating in the business?
2) Was there a later revised edition of this book other than the 1998 revision?
3) Did he or anyone else complete the construction and operation of a "CHAMP" unit?
Thanks in advance for any assistance. :)
 

enrada

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Has anyone ever met John S Potter? Did he write the book because he was a diver? How many years of research went into it?
I recall tracing him to Hong Kong about 20 years ago or more but never found him.
Phil's book is another well written and informative book, a pleasure to read.
A book to avoid is the San Jose 1708 by Carla Rand Phillips. At least 75 pages before it gets to anything about the San Jose. More about corrupt Spanish government than the San Jose.
Another excellent book, The Log of a Privateersman, not sure of the author and written about a 100 years ago. Cheap copies available on Ebay.
 

ropesfish

Bronze Member
Jun 3, 2007
1,188
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Sebastian, Florida
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Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
Has anyone ever met John S Potter? Did he write the book because he was a diver? How many years of research went into it?
I recall tracing him to Hong Kong about 20 years ago or more but never found him.
Phil's book is another well written and informative book, a pleasure to read.
A book to avoid is the San Jose 1708 by Carla Rand Phillips. At least 75 pages before it gets to anything about the San Jose. More about corrupt Spanish government than the San Jose.
Another excellent book, The Log of a Privateersman, not sure of the author and written about a 100 years ago. Cheap copies available on Ebay.

John S Potter's ( September 1, 1924 - Jan 4 2014) obituary is posted at: http://www.enrada.com/Graphics/PotterJSJR.pdf
:icon_thumright:
 

enrada

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Ropefish
Thanks
Had just never heard or seen anything about him.
 

ARC

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MAn I was a newbie here when this thread was started... many posts I never even responded to... don't know what happened... got lost in the loop or ? heh

Glad to see it revived.

PS... Have sold numerous maps since this post via auctions... 2 of which sold for a penance ... which pained me...
Also... Gave some away to some deserving souls.
 

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ARC

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ARRC...

Find anything interesting when studying the Bernard Romans Map at McLarty Treasure Museum? I have a direct copy of the original map and donated an additional copy to the McLarty Museum (which is the framed one you are looking at in your photo)... There is actually more to the complete map than what most have seen and there are additional shipwreck references notated.

Now this interests me Phipps...
Have a digital of this ?
 

ARC

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I have really downsized in the last 2 + years since I moved... all the way around...
House ... boat... maps... stuff... etc.

I have also parted with some books when I moved (AT LEAST 200 +) (SOME of which are along the lines of interest here) that I have read and have no desire to read again / do not contain anything of interest etc.

I took 3 cases of vintage / antique ship books to an auction house for them to tell me books don't really sell... :/
So I sold at a yard sale.

Loaded a trailer of maps and books to a give to a flea marketer guy who said... "man I can make you some money with this stuff" ( iwas trying to help us BOTH out)...

Only to have him hand me 80 dollars . :(....

Shall I continue ? :P

Digitized some of my older maps that had become brittle or had some with real bad issues... IE: tears etc.
 

ARC

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Aug 19, 2014
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I decided to start "DE cluttering"... ehhhh little over a year ago... BAH

I keep telling myself... "cant keep it all".

Also I have a room that is just storage of many of these items... which was crammed to the point of no entry upon my move... I have slowly made a "trail"... and now in the last year "walkable". heh

This has not really helped overall though... for I wish I had a few of the above mentioned items back already.
 

Old Bookaroo

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ropesfish:

To the best of my knowledge, the first edition(s) were comb-bound 8 1/2" x 11" copies printed at a local shop and sold by Phil.

Our 1991 edition is also in wraps - trade size, with a dark blue cover stamped in gold. Was it really that long ago? Where does the time go?

I haven't seen a 1998 comb-bound. Phil published a revised edition in 1998 - standard trade paperback. Then in 2012 the "Second Edition" was published.

As far as I know that's the most recent version.

My parents gave me a first edition of The Homewrecker for my birthday. It had just been published. It is still the first book I turn to when I'm looking for information on a wreck. We could use a modern edition - but I don't know who would write it.

In partial answer to Enrada, John S. Potter wrote Treasure Hunters with Robert Nesmith, the author of the classic Dig for Pirate Treasure (1958). This was a Fawcett "paperback" (a magazine format the size of a trade paperback with a flat spine). This was reprinted by Arco in hardcover.

Yes, Potter was a diver - see his Treasure Divers of Vigo Bay (1958).

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo, CM
 

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ropesfish

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Jun 3, 2007
1,188
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Sebastian, Florida
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A sharp eye, an AquaPulse and a finely tuned shrimp fork.
Primary Interest:
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Thanks, Bookaroo! I will be ordering the 2012 edition in mere moments.
DONE!

For a little musical introduction to a cool fiction series:
 

ropesfish

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Jun 3, 2007
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Sebastian, Florida
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Well...the bad news is that apparently there is no 2012 edition available anywhere I can find, only a cataloging error by Amazon that flows over to AbeBooks and Alibris as well. I'd try to buy a 2012 edition if anyone would part with theirs.
The 1998 edition is still worthwhile, although it's a little disjointed with the new 150 pages of opinion and info at the front of the volume, then the original 1991 book at the back.
Has anyone built, seen or heard of a completed version of the CHAMP unit that he details at length in the new bits?
 

Old Bookaroo

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Dec 4, 2008
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ropesfish:

I may be able to help you with that! It won't be in the next week or two - I'll send you a PM when I have more information.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo, CM
 

ropesfish

Bronze Member
Jun 3, 2007
1,188
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Sebastian, Florida
Detector(s) used
A sharp eye, an AquaPulse and a finely tuned shrimp fork.
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
Thank you, kind sir! I shall await your message.

ropesfish:

I may be able to help you with that! It won't be in the next week or two - I'll send you a PM when I have more information.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo, CM
 

Old Bookaroo

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Dec 4, 2008
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ropesfish:

Happy to help - if it proves to be help. We'll see...As Clarence the Cook used to tell us down at the Water Isle Colony Club, "Good food takes time."

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo, CM
 

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