Tucson 02.15.2001

Last report fromTucson, 02. 15. 2001


 

 

Here we are with our last report of the show presenting some highlights of the exhibitions at the mineral and gem show presented by the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society which runs for 4 days at the Tucson Convention Center.

You will reach it by this street turning to the right.

 

 

On the first day this show seems to be flooded by thousands of school children carried by busses to the entrance. Will these boys and girls be our future collectors of minerals ?

 

 

Inside of the Convention Center the exhibition hall hosts the exhibitors. A view from the first floor gives an impression of the abundance of offered mineral specimens.

 

 

 

The hall is divided by showcases in which private collectors, museums and dealers present their goodies, some related to the annual theme of the show, some not.

This year Russian minerals – could be called “minerals from the area between Moscow and Wladiwostok”, since for example Kazaksatan or Tadzhikistan are no longer belonging to  Russia - was the theme of the show, as to be seen in this showcase of gem minerals. A giant topaz called “victory” from the Ural mountains measures about 40 cm in diameter.

 

 

The showcases exhibit many excellent specimens. Taking a selection for publishing as in this website is always depending on somebody’s taste. From my opinion, the following specimens are the finest from Russia presented at the main show.

 

It starts with four specimens from The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania:

 

A cluster of red quartz crystals from Dalnegorsk measuring about 11x11 cm.

 

 

An axinite from Dodo mine, Puiva Mountains, 15x9 cm

 

 

A colorful combination of white bertrandite, pink rhodochrosite and purple-black fluorite from Koundradskiy, Kazakhstan, about 16x8 cm

 

 

A 2 cm sperrylite crystal etched out of chalcopyrite from Talnakh, Siberia.

 

 

A yellow beryl crystal of about 5 cm on feldspar from Ural.

 

 

The Houston Museum of Natural Science had just acquired a crystallized platinum nugget of about 800 g from the collector John Barlow, probably found at the Khabarovsk Mountains.

 

 

More platinum minerals and gold are to be seen in this showcase of Collector’s Edge.

 

 

The best sperrylite in this showcase, well prepared out of the matrix, is also one of the best existing specimens with crystals up to 1 inch, but not the biggest which is known to be close to 4 cm.

 

 

It seems to be that Marty Zinn tried to get the whole pocket of the magnificent black-purple fluorite from Kara Oba, Kazakhstan.

 

 

A bi-colored fluorite crystal of about 4 cm perched on white calcite from Dalnegorsk is presented by Norman Pellman from Tucson.

 

 

That’s from “Russia”. But other showcases present magnificent specimens from world-wide localities worth to be shown here:

A superb collection of minerals from Asbestos, Quebec, formerly belonging to the well-known collector Charles L. Key is to be seen at the showcase of the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto.

 

 

A closer look for this exhibit shows green and orange garnets.

 

 

The prehnite specimen with single crystals of 2 cm probably fulfils the requirements of “best of species”.

 

 

 

Till now, suolunite was known as an extremely rare, but ugly mineral from a discovery in Oman. What a major improvement this mineral achieved in Quebec: blue balls of 1 cm on matrix!

 

 

A huge green fluorite crystal of about 20 cm diameter comes from Westmoreland, New Hampshire.

 

 

Spessartite crystals of about 2 cm form a beautiful association with tourmaline and albite, Little Three Mine, San Diego.

 

 

The Municipal Museum of Natural History, Milano, Italy, gives an impression how attractive aegirine can be, like this 15 cm high specimen from Mt. Malosa, Malawi.

 

 

Nigeria was the home of this illuminated tourmaline crystal of about 25 cm diameter.

 

 

One of the highlights of gems is this large cut emerald which was used for a necklace.

 

 

No need for the unfriendly sign “ no photos”, since crowds of people are protecting the treasure of Forbes Magazine: artwork of  Peter Carl Faberge.

 

 

Objects of Faberge are also presented by private collectors, mainly from Gary Hanson, St. Louis - admission to photographers is free, thanks!

 

 

You can feel how “real collecting” is when you see Kay Robertson’s showcase of  minerals from classic localities, mainly from Europe.

 

 

You also can hear her enthusiasm for mineral collecting at an age of  …. – would you please ask her yourself

 

 

Blue blue is the exhibit of Marshall and Charlotte Sussmann, due to Tsumeb azurites. When have you seen such a concentration of great azurites from one locality?

Did I hear right? Marshall will not stop accumulating azurites?

 

 

We can use the same words, only changing the color from blue to red for the exhibit of exceptional specimens of rhodochrosite owned by Eugene and Roz Meieran.

 

 

A very good idea came through this year: ask as many collectors and museums for their best specimens of a specific choice, like the elements gold, silver, copper, carbon, lead, and put them together on display. Show committee, please continue this way !

Let us start with the golden showcase!

 

 

Go closer!

 

 

What probably attracts the most is the 10 cm long gold wire from the Harvard Mineralogical Museum.

 

 

Astonishing rich is the 15x10 cm specimen of Ed David.

 

 

Crystallized in an attractive way is the gold of Eugene and Roz Meieran.

 

 

Nearly hidden in the shadow of the showcase as “ugly brother in elements”  are specimens of native lead, of which Number 4 from Langban, Sweden sets the standard for the species.

 

 

Not less attractive as gold looks the silver showcase which also hosts diamonds - or carbon - and iron meteorites.

 

 

Huge crystals of diamonds up to 3 cm.

 

 

Wires and crystals of all major localities are on exhibit.

Were the iron meteorites in the back as examples for native iron?

 

Thanks to the show committee and the participants of the central exhibits that we do not find this kind of silver at the silver display case.

 

 

This specimen of 3 cm silver wires on argentite was made by Don Edwards in his kitchen within 3 hours by using a silver coin, sulphur and heat ( see this website under `What’s new?`)

We found only one piece of such a silver among other specimen in another showcase – an even better example for the origin of this silver wires than the one we checked recently ( see this website under “silver from Atlantis?”) as you see by the black foot.

 

 

By the way, this specimen was celebrated in a recent issue of German magazine “Lapis” as a silver from Freiberg, now “the authenticity is not yet determined”, what we certainly  believe.

 

Brother number 3 of the elements, copper is to be seen in this showcase.

 

 

A major specimen from Lake Superior is the 5 cm measuring crystal of the Seaman Museum, Houghton, Michigan

 

 

Great example for copper crystals is this more than 20 cm measuring specimen in the center belonging to Wayne Thomson.

 

 

Spear-like crystals from Ray, Arizona.

 

 

At the entrance to the wholesale hall you see two objects I personally would like to have them seen at a more important place:

The humorous gem carvings of Vasilii Konovalenko:

 

Bosom Pals ( Kosak Buddies)

 

and

 

The Prospectors

 

 

These objects belong to Mr. And Mrs. Alvin Cohen, Eaglewood, CO. They are among others on display in the Denver Museum of Natural History from where they were taken to the show by curator Jack Murphy. Look how these carved people are somewhat indistinguishable from visitors in the background, off their dress and behavior. Isn’t this result the best recognition of true-to-life art?

I would like to thank all the people who have helped to run the main show, not to forget the police and the service people as these women

 

 

I also wish to thank all collectors and dealer who helped me with objects to be imaged and information on finds.

 

What will we see next year?

 

More of  Indian minerals?

 

Like these giants? The crystal at the left is about 40 cm tall.

 

 

 

 

 

By by, Tucson!

 

 

Georg Gebhard

 


First report from Tucson, 02. 02. 2001

Second report from Tucson, 02. 04. 2001

Third report from Tucson, 02. 06. 2001

4th. report fromTucson, 02. 07. 2001

5th. report fromTucson, 02. 10. 2001

6th. report from Tucson, 02. 11. 2001

7th. report fromTucson, 02. 14. 2001