Monthly Archives: February 2018

Tucson Rock Shows-Things I forgot to show you

The Tucson Shows ended Sunday just about the time I ran out of cash. We acquired some amazing things that will soon be jewelry. I will post what I made from the Gemshow finds in the next week or so. Another great show, rockhounds and stone or mineral lovers should put this on your bucket list!

As I checked through the thousand pictures I took, I found a few bonus ones to show you.

Selenite Crystals oddly molded onto a bizarre piece of furniture (Chinese source). It must have been kicking off some powerful powers as the sign on it said $600,000!

More Selenite furniture. I do not know the price of this one.

Miles from Alaska had a nice tusk. I think it was the same one he had last year. About 7′ long, asking $18,000. He said it would be worth $39.000 after a professional cleaning and prep job.

Tents in the rear of the Ramada; lots of Chinese and Moroccan Stuff.

Tantric Shiva Lingams metaphysical powers from what the dealers tell me. I will not tell you what these powers are here. Many of these are shaped and faked.

Look what happened to this geode when you add a little Titanium Vapor.

A weird and wonderful Quartz Specimen. I recall it was a Himalayan Quartz primarily.

Moroccan Agate table top.

You cannot tell the difference between this Manmade Quartz Cluster and a real one. There were a couple dealers that made things like this and even Sandstone and Wonderstone!

Photos from Tucson Gem & Mineral Show-Main Show Part II

I took massive photos at the show. You’re not seeing everything, but enough for you to get an idea of some of the things at the show. We were interested in the large variety of Rhodochrosite crystalyzations, the Pyrite, and our Native Copper from Michigan and throughout the world.

Pyrite-Haunzala Peru

Etched Green Fluorite Brazil

Rhodochrosite Sweet Home Mine, John’s Pocket

Smithsonite, Yellow–Sardinia Italy

Turquoise–Arzawa Minerological Inc. I thought as I looked at this it could be a meteorite with a different mother.

Selenite from China, quite a coffin lid!

Calcite after Ikaite-Glendonite “White Cliffs Opal Pineapple” 526 g. Red Earth Opal. The dealer said there are only about 250 in the world.

Pretty Intarsia square box with picture jasper and so much more!

Look closely: carved pots, old walls, hanging masks, and bowls. Laser etching inside of Lodelite.

A carved lizard. Front center. Best I could do with my camera.

On the arena floor, more vendors!

In 2013 the Cruiziero Mine in Mines Gerais was experiencing high costs and log production, but a huge collapsed pocket was discovered in the pegmatite and is now known as the “Cranberry Pocket”. It took workers 4 weeks to collect the crystals.

Stibnite, China

Iridescent Rainbow Pyrite, Peru

Different crystal of Pyrite

“Ripple Fire” Rare Native Ripple Sheet Copper in black shale from Michigan’s White Pine Mine

Beryl var. Aquamarine on Muscovite from Pakistan

Rhodochrosite and Quartz

Assorted Fossil Forms

Chinese Mineral Specimens.

Bonnie buying Boulder Opal from a friendly Aussie.

One of the bazzilion displays of jewelry at a Tucson show.

Plenty of cabochons for you to covet or buy.

Agates and more, galore

Fossil sculpture

In the stone carver’s display, small fish, dolphins, sea coral in a bed of lodalite quartz. About 10″ across, this was stunning. Carvings inside Lodelite.

Intarsia Box by Nicolai Medvedev. with Malachite, Gold in quartz, Azurite, Turquoise, Sugilite, Lapis, Opal, 18k Gold

Elbaite, var Rubellite, Lepidolite from Brazil

Tucson Gem & Mineral Show 2018

The culmination of the rock, gem and mineral shows in Tucson is The 64th annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, hosted by the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society. It is held in the Tucson Convention Center for 4 days and features displays, vendors, symposiums and lots of cool stuff for every age.

Tourmaline

Benitoite-California’s State Gem. I never saw so much of this rare and valuable stuff in one place.

Nice display I’d say

Crystals and Crystal Forms provided a very large theme for displays to play off of. We spent a lot of time photographing the displays in order to give you a good idea of the scope and diversity here. Most displays are theme-based, so if crystals set your heart a-twitter, you’ll be a-buzz in this place!

Tucson’s Mayor Rothschild (on right) introducing Gov. Ducey

The Gov seemed quite interested and looked at displays for at least an hour. Wherever I was the Gov kept doing fly-bys.

The governor Doug Ducey and the mayor Jonathon Rothschild as well as various other dignitaries and VIPs were there for ribbon-cutting and brief speaking. Governor Ducey seemed very interested in the displays, obviously he loved the rocks and minerals.

Post necklace. Security was tight. You don’t want to lose a Smithsonian Piece.

Some of the most beautiful rocks, gems and treasures are here. In the center will be a police-guarded display from the Smithsonian. The Post Emerald Necklace had 24 Baroque emerald designed by Cartier and redesigned by him later. Some of the finest large emeralds from Colombia are featured.

Arkansas Turquoise nugget, the worlds’ largest

The largest American Turquoise nugget was there–surprisingly it is a more recent find from Arkansas! Also the largest Laguna agate, a butterfly shape, was presented. I took so many pictures that I will post them over the next couple days.

A Geode wth a Polar Bear was bought as I took the picture (Not by me), but I’m pretty sure it’s going to China.

Bonnie buying Boulder Opal fro a friendly Aussie.

Wingate Pass Agate. Can’t get it anymore as it’s on the White Sands Missle Range.

Chrysoprase

Claimed to be the Worlds Largest Laguna from Del Rey Agates.

A Dino Nest-China

Lots of vendors are there to tempt you. We were sure we were all done buying stuff, but some Larimar and Opal got in our way. You can see the new jewelry they become if you subscribe to our newsletter (ONLY once a month), or follow us on Facebook.

The show is more navigable later in the day but if you come first thing you can stand in line for 40 minutes while the excitement builds. Lots of interesting people to talk to in line, so don’t despair!

Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Shows-22nd Street Revisited

I’m sure you have seen these Pyritized Ammonites before. (on right). Septarian cabs on the left. At Bright Star Gemstones.

The 22nd Street Mineral and Fossil Show is one that may prove rewarding upon a re-visit. The Showcase tent was an example of how things change with a few new vendors added to the mix, some fossils sold, and others took their place.

I seemed to miss some of the display cases on the last visit, as well as other things. So this will basically be some pictures of the new things, or some old things I may have shown you, or not. My old mind can’t remember things when it becomes sensory overloaded here in Tucson.

How do you describe this? A hot chick, metal chick, with a bird. This is why you see the picture. Loved the bicycle chain hair!

A very appealing display in the corner.

Megalodon Teeth Galore at Relics II; big ones and small ones.

Gem trees

Wooly Mammoth and Mastadon teeth pieces. Did you know I have made jewelry from Mastadon Teeth?

Petrified Wood

Butterflies at a rock show-Surprising but not not shocking.

The white side was carved.

Very unique how the carver used matte and polished surfaces.

Molded cast of a Giant Beaver (10,000 year old animal).

Uncounted Spheres

Display Case #1 at Showcase Show

Showcase #2 at Showcase Show 22nd Street.

Showcase #3 at Show

The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show (The Main Show at the Convention Center) opens tomorrow and we will be there. It’ll take me several blogs to cover that one show because there are so many displays. I’m only a couple shows behind right now, but eventually you’ll see almost everything we’ve done. Thanks for reading and riding along. Can you help spread the word by sharing our blog?

Tucson Gem Shows-Mineral & Fossil Co-op

The best window dressing of all time. Worlds largest Megaladon Mouth

Looking out the window. I wonder if that woman knows she’s about to be chomped? 7 to 8 foot mouth I’d guess. Perhaps 80 feet long.

The Mineral & Fossil Co-op is included in the Tucson Show Guide, but is a permanent business located at 1635 N. Oracle (Main Avenue turns into Oracle). We always enjoy visiting there for the high end fossils, and products.

This year as I walked in and the first thing that caught my eye was what is claimed to be the largest Megalodon jaw in the world. The Carcharocles megalodon from the Cenozoic era (15.9 to 2.6 million years ago) was the largest predator that ever existed. 182 fine meg teeth make up the jaw. The largest tooth is 7 5/8″ in length along the diagonal and is among the largest meg tooth ever found. Vito Bertucci “The Megalodon Man” took 16 years to collect teeth the correct size to make this jaw. He made several other jaws that are on display in other museums and aquariums. He died in 2004 while diving for sharks teeth in South Carolina.

Ammonites Galore

Ammonites

Spheres of all types

If you have a little more room.

Ammonite’s abound at the Co-op at many dealers there. Any size and type are available. Large Crinoid Plate similar to the one I showed you the other day is for sale and I took a close up to show detail.

Crinoids

Many of the fossil’s and minerals at the Co-op were at other shows being sold, but many were remaining to look at.

Ron Coleman crystal

Wooly Mammoths, and Mastadons tusks, oh my!

Russian Giant Elk

Stegasaurus

Frigate Bird

Coleman Quartz had many wonderful crystal clusters, and my favorite dealer at the Co-op GeoDecor always has great fossils on their walls and on the floor; a couple of note were a 50 million year old Frigate Bird, A Russian Giant Elk, a Stegosaurus, and a Triceratops.

Some beautiful Colorful Ammonites were being sold at the Sahara Sea Gallery, Rosman had an assortent of gorgeous Spheres, and Russell-Zuhl had Petrified Wood tables and the like.

Strolling the Mineral and Fossil Marketplace Main Street Shows

Many small show down this way.

Mineral & Fossil Marketplace

Loads of variety at this show.

Several Mineral and Fossil Shows populate the area north of town on Main Street. We enjoy the Mineral and Fossil Marketplace which is open tents of different vendors, a nice breeze, some rough pavement, a bit of shade under the tents.

Which one is natural?

All dyed

Even though this is dyed, I sort of liked it.

Saber tooth carving with nice teeth.

Unicorn was cuit.

At Australian Outback Mining we always find a treasure or two. I originally thought my selected piece was tiger iron would make fine jewelry. My wife observed that is it Marra Mamba that is more desirable. At careful examination it did indeed have blue in it, and lesser amounts of hematite and a positive ID was made by the vendor. I think the dealer missed this ID before he put it on the sale table. since it was on the unpolished side. I also found a nice Noreena Jasper. He had a good quantity of peanut wood this year which has been in short supply in some years. He mentioned that next year he will be at a different location further down Main Street.

The Labradorite was shining in the sun.

Crysta-lined Septarian Nodule eggs

Need a new sink or fountain?

This wine holder was a great idea.

Petrified wood bowl.

Roc 3000 has interesting rocks and minerals. Lots of crystals, labradorite, and small fossils were available. The small carved animals that you see so often were available in quantity here. I thought the saber toothed tiger with inserted carved white teeth was above out of the ordinary. If you needed some carved rock sinks to add to your decor, this are would be your source. Bonnie lifted one of the carved soap dishes and decided that it wasn’t going home with her.

A vendor mentioned that he had a degree in mining and I asked him if he had ever worked in the Upper Peninsula. Surprisingly he had been the mining engineer at White Pine Mine in the Keweenaw. Bonnie admired some vintage turquoise bead necklaces and cabochons, but was determined to hang on to her money.

I’ll let you figure out how much 440kg is. It’s probably more that you can lift!

Azurite-Malachite from Bisbee

I can see my house with the Crinoid filled plate wall.

Nice assortmernt of Meteorites (Fireball Meteorites)

Palliside Meteorite

A large Siracho pallasite meteorite was on display. You wouldn’t have survived a landing of that!

In a permanent building there was another great dinosaur display by Paleo Web. Fireball meteorites had a find selection of meteorites from different locations. Paleo Tools has useful things, including t-shirts for the fossil lovers. In a nearby tent, an interesting and wall sized fossil plate with detailed crinoid fossils. Usually we see just the bits of crinoid stem, but there is a whole “flower” of tentacles creating the creatures.

You will find great deals, good quality, free parking, and lesser crowds here than in most venues. We.ve never been disappointed at the show.

Tucson Gem Shows-A Zombie Apocalyspe Experience.

We like to look at the smaller shows. The Tucson New Mineral Show sounded interesting. The location is behind a huge wall with interesting paintings, previously a slaughterhouse. (Yes, really). A spray painted graffiti over the iron archway entrance confirmed that this was the slaughterhouse. An ominous atmosphere prevailed. Bonnie asked the police what other uses this big piece of property has. Apparently at Halloween, and other times, you can practice your skill at shooting Zombies (with laser weapons). Apparently Zombie killing is quite popular.

Note: the Show Guide lists this as “Cineplex Theater”. Please study the photos below. It should have said Slaughterhouse and we would have known where it was! Not what we expected! You could say this is the Apocolypse Mineral Show. This is the most unique venue ever!!!! Go here, buy stuff, look around.

We hesitantly entered the parking area. The block slaughterhouse and dual showtents were enclosed. I commented that I hoped this wasn’t a DEAD END show. We were please to see that the Tucson police were there to protect the minerals, or to keep back the zombies. I do know the safest place to avoid a Zombie Apocalypse is in your LIVING ROOM, but I feel good if someone is armed in a Zombie area. We didn’t go into the “sketchy” cattlepen area which may be where the zombies hide during the day.

Surprisingly there were some wonderful mineral specimens including a couple of vendors selling quality micro mounts. If I were a mineral collector, this would be a great spot to go. But do take a flashlight, one of the tents had a dark ceiling (and DARK corners). A nice lighted display cabinet had some beautiful mineral specimens. We found one vendor with agates, another had Nevada gold jewelry which was pretty.

I tried to remember the Zombie computer game I played with my son-in-law where I blew zombies apart with the shotgun…but I had to trust that the local police could dispatch any zombies that might exhume themselves from their graves. Also I wondered if cattle could be zombies. Wouldn’t they be more likely to eat a person’s brain that an ordinary undead zombie? Next time I go to a show like this I’ll have to brush up on my zombie lore.

Like a movie theater; Be mindful of the exits.

Old Slaughterhouse in the background.

Waiting rooms for the slaughterhouse.

One of the Showrooms.

Your ride awaits you. THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL SHOW SHUTTLE (but it should be)

A lovely block fence adorned with happy cattle headed for the slaughterhouse, surrounds the property.

Do we really want to enter? Hell yes we do.

If you are running from a hoard of zombies, you don’t want to be the slowest one! Sort of like a rock hunt, where you want to be first to the rock pile. If you had a bunch of rioting zombies with large lips, would this be A-PACK-OF-LIPS?

We experienced the zombie mineral show which was surprisingly entertaining. We were also pleased to safely exit the Zombie Experience grounds. If the zombies had come out, I would not be writing this blog, because I would be last in line of those fleeing the zombies. A DEADicated Zombie could catch me. This experience made me want to go to a bar and have a shot of TO-KILL-YA.

OK enough of this. I think my mind is fading. More tomorrow without Zombie jokes; promise. Oh, thanks for letting me play wit my Photoshop.

Tucson Shows-Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show.

The Hotel Tucson City Center is a beautiful venue hosting the Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show. We got there early and found great parking. Parking can be at a premium later in the day. There are overflow lots in the neighborhood with shuttles to the show. Parking is free, but they are working on the old parking lot, so you can take a free shuttle from another show or take your chances.

This show is visited by us several times. I love the variety of vendors, nationalities, numerous Meteorite sellers, fossil sellers, and the general wide selection of goods.

Hotel Tucson City Center entrance to the lobby.

Upstairs in the lobby

Tourmaline in Quartz. Upstairs Lobby. Crystal Springs Mining

Serious welding skills

Hotel Tucson City Center Courtyard

Morning. The sun is not even shining on this.

Why did I like this so much? Maybe it was the bicycle wheel ribs.

Upper Lobby. Crystal Springs Mining Gallery

View of Lobby at HTCC from balcony

The dendrites were spectacular in this agate from India

Fantastic Micro-mounts in the lobby.

Inside of the show tent at the side of the Hotel.

Copper Halfbreeds at Keweenaw Gem & Gift in the show tent.

Native Copper in Matrix.Keweenaw Gem & Gift.

Onyx light boxes.Show Tent. Onyx & Antler Gallery

Sericho-Kenyan Pallisite Meteorites

Blue Opal Bonnie loved and bought with the promise that I would make something for her.

Del Ray Agates-Bonnie with the owner Alberto

The best Laguna Agates I’ve seen at the show-Del Ray room 321

More Lagunas from Del Ray

This was the Alberto’s favorite Laguna. Amazing Color for a Laguna

A tip we got from Alberto. He owns the largest Laguna in the world, and he says the finest ever found. It will be on display at the Main Show next weekend.

Mostly Mookaite and Australian Rocks on shelves outside.

This is what you do. Bonnie looking in a room window to see what the dealer has.

A stack of Petrified Wood. But there is something special here.

Check the crystal pocket in this log. I was glad for my new camera that takes awesome pictures.

Fossil Hall/Ballroom

These signs lead to the Fossil Hall. I believe this is true.

The signs were correct.

Still encased Skull. Triceratops.

A bit of yard art we found out back of the Hotel. “Bonnie, where’s the checkbook?”

Inlayed Dino-Bone handle and Meteorite Blade…AWESOME!

Hot

Tucson Gem & Mineral Shows on the Strip-Part 2

We pretty much covered the one end of the Strip of Hotel Shows along I-10 in Tucson Yesterday. As You may recall, we park at a lot about midway along the Strip. Heres are numerous pictures of some of the wild and amazing things we saw.

This should catch us up on the Strip Shows (pun intended). Tomorrow we visit the Hotel Tucson City Center where we expect many fossils, speciments.

Punk rock skull-oh my!

I think we should check out this room.

Amazing Boulder Opal. This was really two halves of an amazingly stunning seam of opal crystal. The vendor was one of Bonnie’s Facebook buddies from Australia, and both seemed thrilled to finally meet in person.