Monthly Archives: February 2016

Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Shows-Beads and G&LW

55 sunny

Gary at Caberlight sells his innovative LED lights.

A pleasant day but a bit cold (icy cold for the locals, T-shirt for me). We started at The Best Bead Show (that’s the name of it). I needed a couple new LED lights and Bonnie was in need of some supplies for kumihimo, a braiding material she has been playing around with. We were surprised to see that there were no outside tents like there was when we were here 2 years ago. We thought they might have expanded their space inside, but no, it turns out it was half the size of when we were there last.

Bonnie wanted to go there because this show has lots of seed beads, including new shapes that they keep coming out with. Who knew that those little things come in rectangles or triangles with two holes, or superduos or miniduos or rizos, or just plain o’s. Anyway, I was happy to find coffee and a bench, and she was happy to buy “stuff”.

The piles of beads abound.

After the Bead Show we hopped the Gem Show Shuttle over to the Wholesale Show at G&LW’s (Gem & Lapidary Wholesalers) giant tent, that I showed you on a previous blog. Really you are not suppose to photo anything, but I had a friend that took a couple; That’s my story anyway.

I was sitting in a “Guy Chair” waiting for Bonnie to get through this line.

These were really “Bling”. I did not enhance this photo.

The G&LW show has much buy/sell merchandise from China, India, Taiwan, Pakistan, Austrailia, and many other places with vendors being of many nationalities. I have trouble understanding many of them, and they sometimes have trouble understanding me, but they all understand CASH! Most dealers at this show take credit cards and/or checks. We stocked up on ribbon and leather necklaces and some other premade items. There are few rough rocks at this show other than faceting rough, so I can move pretty fast for a guy with a bad leg. Tables stacked with beads, with the Bead Ladies attacking them with a furor reminiscent of piranha attacking. It seems the more Bead Ladies at the booth, the more it attracts other Bead Ladies. The show was busy even though it was midweek. I took a picture of a line Bonnie stood in. What was nice was a handy corral of resting chairs in the next aisle, and I was not the only guy there!

Shiny beads seem to be the product of the day, both faceted, manufactured simulates, and true gemstones. Even I was able to recognize that there were many more shapes and designs than in previous years. Dealers were in full competition to attract CASH!

Skulls with their heads blown off like that add on TV.

One funny thing I saw were carved skulls but these were different in the top was blown off like the ad you see on TV where the top of people’s heads get blown off. I found some very nice Botswana cabochons and that was about all I bought.

Here are a few things from the shows the last few days. It pays to have a loupe and a light, as there are many surprises in some show treasures. Quartz with inclusions come from Mina Gerais, Brazil (AKA Lodelite), and often contain hidden treasures, if you can find them and you have the CASH!

Lodelite (notice the Quartz Crystal in the Quartz) Very awesome?

Red Rutile in Quartz

Notice the crystal in the grass?.

Inclusions in this are probably Manganese.

Nice Ametrine

Star Rutile is very coveted.

Lodelite with Manganese inclusions

Sphalerite with Galena.

Nice colors for Botswana Agate.

Colorful Botswana Agate

I know a guy who has these hidden in his room. I cannot tell you where!

Tucson Gem Shows-Kents Tools

If you attend the Tucson Shows you expect Kent’s Tools to have a large display at Kino. This year the have only a small display of shop tools and assorted things for shoppers like small plastic envelopes and such.

Have no fear Kent’s fans. You can drive to their own new tool shop located at 2745 N. First Avenue, not far from their old permanent location in town. The have hustled and bustled to move their normal inventory that was always on display at the Kino show, so if you still need those hard-to-find drills, buffs, bags and boxes, pliers, tools, whatzits and doodads, go to the store. It is located at a separate show in the Tucson Show Guide.

This blog is a short version of my normal adventure blog, but I had to rest up from all my exploring! Besides it was cold again yesterday, and we tried to stay inside. Bonnie found a bead show. Luckily I finally found a “guy chair” there. (Yawn.) I promise a new blog tomorrow.

The reason they had to move from their original locale is their store was on one side of the road and their storage on the other. They are widening Grant (?) and the storage building was being removed as we understand it.

See you later today.

Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Shows-The Arizona Mineral and Fossil Show

45-50 Sunny (The natives wearing Winter Parkas, me OK in a sweatshirt.

Shiva Lingams’ outside front entrance

Waiting by one of the orange trees for one to drop off (or ready to leap for one)

The day was spent roaming and exploring The Arizona Mineral and Fossil Show at the Hotel Tucson City Center.

Another little Bastard wiring by the pool. I suspect it is easier to eat people without so many clothes on, or not wearing Parkas.

The rooms are filled with vendors, as is the upper lobby and Ballroom. I love this show for its wide selection and variety of things. I got there early so I could get parking. You can park elsewhere and ride a shuttle if you can’t arrive until later in the day.

Before you enter the hotel, you can view Shiva Lingam from India, which are considered to increase fertility. The big ones are in the five foot range. Most of these are worked into perfect melon shapes using lapidary methods.

Upper lobby area dealer rooms

Many rooms feature meteorites, mineral specimens, jewels, slabs, cabs, and mine finds from around the world. The ballroom always features fine fossils and beautiful ammonites abound. The hotel rooms both upper and lower levels are filled with more rocks, minerals, fossils brought and sold by foreign dealers. United States miners, and collectors are also in abundance. I saw the Dorris family from the Weather Channel’s Prospectors show, selling Colorado treasures in two rooms, and the Meteorite Men were selling their finds in another room.

Horrendous carnage in the courtyard.

Ken Flood-Keweenaw Gems & Gifts

This show is fun because of the fiberglass dinosaurs scattered around the grounds. I saw a raptor waiting for an orange to fall, baby dinosaurs, and a horrendous fight where two raptors were ripping pieces of meat out of a large beast. Very gory. A couple reproduction t-rex heads were lying in the courtyard as well as a raptor waiting for fresh meat to emerge from the swimming pool.

By exploring other dealers in a couple larger tents in the rear of the hotel, I saw a beautiful display of back-lit onyx and agate. I chatted with Ken Flood, a friend who sells Keweenaw materials, speciallizing in copper items. He said he was having a good show.

This one was sold

This was like a coffin for the person that has everything

This one $500,000

Inside the giant Geode

Even further behind the hotel I discovered Aurora Minerals in a more permanent building (called the Granada Avenue Mineral Show) featuring shockingly large amethyst cathedrals. One was sixteen feet long (that’s a stretch Limo!), possibly the largest ever found in Uruguay. I’ve never seen the likes of this. The pictures of this give you an idea of how nice it is–the cathedral was filled with gem grade amethyst. It had a long journey by train, ship, and truck. It can be yours for $500,000, if you are inclined. If I’d won that Lotto, I could have had a petrified wood table, a triceratops, AND a prize amethyst cathedral. I might even let my Facebook friends in to see them for free.

These Ammonites are always the most colorful things at the show

Backlit agate and onyx

I guess that giant Amethyst being sold by Aurora Minerals was really todays highlight. It ofter pays to have a look out back in these shows. A couple years ago I found A T-Rex loitering way out back in this same show.

Tucson Gem Shows-Beads and Bones

Miles of Beads at IGM

55 Rainy, snow sprinkles in the air (No kidding)

Three hours to just skim the surface here. The more we looked, the lighter our wallet.

Our day started earlier than usual at the International Gems & Minerals location at the Gem Mall. IGM is the largest bead dealer we’ve seen here in Tucson. Strictly a wholesale dealer, they open early, so they can sell to other vendors in town before they have to open at 10. It is really large, and not super well organized, so you might find something at one side, and they later find something similar that you like better several aisles over. And you have to ask for all prices (which is a pet peeve of Bonnie’s). But they had a large team and numerous people assisted us while we were there, and even though we are not a big buyer, they treated us very well.

In the Los Angeles area they have a shop and warehouse, with bead cutters and lapidarists that they employ worldwide. I chatted with Abdel Khattab, the owner of IGM, who has been in business for over 40 years. Bonnie shopped while I discussed products with him. It’s amazing the things you can learn by picking the brain of a someone that is a pioneer in the gem trade.

Bonnie loves her new “Bead Lady” Cart

You recall me speaking “lovingly” of Bead Ladies toting van-sized suitcases so they may deposit all their beads. Because we were such good customers today, IGM gave Bonnie a pull-behind two-wheel cart of her very own. Now she has a small cart like a Bead Lady wanna-be.

After lunch we had time for a quick stop at the Grand Luxe. This has some rocks, but mostly ethnic products, dresses, antiques, dragon sculptures, etc. Dan Lopacki has bead relics as well as hand crafted cabochons. We have often talked Victoria Stone over the years, and he has a pretty selection of them.

This show was so busy that I observed one vendor asleep in his room, apparently equally as excited about this show as we were. With cool temperatures, Bonnie was the only shopper in the courtyard.

Fine Amethyst in one gallery

Pictures for the wall

A 20′ Kings’ Table of Arizona Petrified Wood.

Coloroful Coffee Tables

Wall Decorations

Spheres anyone?

Bob

The worlds largest Mammoth Tusks

Around 1.3 million will put this in your home or office.

This Mamouth looks alive (at least one of them does)

From left: Baby Mammoth, Wooly Rhino, Mammoth

We left that excitement, and afterward stopped at the Mineral and Fossil Co-op. We read in the Arizona Daily Star about a rare Triceratops skeleton nicknamed Bob. One of the largest Triceratops skeletons ever assembled with original bones, this is 65% original bones, and was found on private property in North Dakota. It was found, and excavated from 2003-2014, when it went on display at the Barnes County Historical Society in North Dakota. A decline in oil revenue resulted in Bob being put up for sale. Everyone involved hopes Bob can continue to live in the US. It is for sale at GeoDecor inside the Mineral and Fossil Co-op. If you have a spare million plus, please buy him so he can continue his life in the Americas.

Here’s the Rhino sans fur (Buck Naked)

Where’s my mama?

A randon Raptor

Even though this co-op is a wholesale venue, the public can still go in and look at the fossils, including Bob. Other highlights here were wooly mammoth and mastodon fossils, a baby mammoth, a wooly rhino. A wooly mammoth skeleton was rebuilt with added fur, resembling what he probably looked like, as well as a wooly Rhino and a baby Mammoth with fur.

The largest pair of Mammoth tusks ever found (around 250 pounds each) is here. They were found by gold miners north of Fairbanks, Alaska, and were carefully preserved over six years before being ready to be shown.

Down the hall is a gallery featuring petrified wood furniture and décor. Most impressive was a 20 feet x 4 feet table slab from the Arizona Petrified Forest. Wall hangings, bright colors, browns, cut table slabs, this place has some real eye candy.

Almost eaten by a Megalodon

A Megaladon Mouth reproduction with real teeth hangs in one gallery. The real teeth are attached in their respective locations. These teeth were collected over many years with the intent to build an authentic representation. The largest tooth is over 7 inches. Measure that out and be in awe! We have seen this “guy” several times over the last few years. Each time I am reminded of how fortunate we are not to have these fellows filling our seas today. They had a voracious appetite!

If you can, you should stop into this interesting place, and if you can, be sure to buy “Bob”!

Tucson Gem Shows-The REALLY Big Show

76 Sunny Windy

Our day started off with the same question we ask every morning in Tucson; ” Where are we going today?” We look at the Showbook and today we decided on the largest combined shows at one location, The Holidome Marketplace and the Holidome Pavillions as well as a quick stop at Intergem which is in the Clarion (used to be Holiday Inn). The Gem & Lapidary Wholesalers (GL&W) is also on the grounds and is comprised of another two enormous hard-sided tents. These are wholesale shows.

So you have 4 giant hard-sided tents, so large it is impossible to fathom, sort off in a circular formation, like spokes, with an end of each tent tied into a central outside courtyard where assorted food is prepared and sold.

The Intergem Show is quite small consisting of dealers inside the hotel, both in the ballroom and halls as well as in a tent next to the Hotel. Bonnie found some very fine beads, and I mostly just sat in the lobby and waited. I liked the strands of faceted Unakite beads that we had not seen in other shows, as well as Tigereye. Sodalite, and banded Agate.

Bonnie selects stones for earrings

Our car was left in the Clarion where you can take the free shuttle to most other Gem Shows around town.

Inside a giant tent

You have heard me expound on my love (NOT) for bead ladies with big suitcases in crowded aisles where they run into your ankles and block traffic. You may have doubted me, but here you can see a vendor offering “Free Parking” for the suitcases while the Bead Ladies pick out their treasures. I talked to one Bead Lady who said she had a small suitcase, but I told her she was not a true Bead Lady.

The Holidome tents are maybe 60% finished jewelry, mostly imported from Asia, which is not of interest to us. Beads at the shows also tend to be from China or India, and the sellers are of these nationalities. We see quite a few foreign buyers at the shows, but not as many as there used to be, due to similar shows overseas. While Bonnie was looking at beads, I found faceted bicolor Lemon/Smokey Quartz with a phantom smokey crystal in it. I will be making this into jewelry soon.

Here are a few chic beads we found today.