Category Archives: Tucson Rock & Gem Shows

Tucson Gem, Mineral, & Fossil Shows-Brown Eggs & Green Cactus

Another very fine Ammonite.

Azurite/Malachite

The crowds are building for the weekend here in Tucson. The early birds get the parking. We just had a few errands to run today, picking up a few things we regretted not getting during this last week. We lucked out on parking at every location, ending up at the Fossil Show again. OK, I’ll fess up; I went back and got some more Seymchan Meteorite slices.

Linghams

The other day I saw these egg-looking things at the fossil show. I’ve seen them before, but did not know what they were. There were big ones and smaller ones. So here is their story, right from the vendor:

They were Tantric Shiva Linghams, sacred to the Hindu traditions. They are gathered once a year from the muddy banks of the Narmada River, one of the 7 sacred places of pilgrimage in India. Of those found, very few have the characteristic patterning that make the Tantric Lingham so unique. They are naturally formed of the Crptocrystalline Quartz (Jasper FYI), with iron oxide deposits said to have been implanted in the riverbed by a meteorite millions of years ago… .and it goes on to describe the metaphysical powers including stating that these stones contain the loftiest vibration of all stones on earth. I admit I touched one and did not get any “lofty vibration” (and I would have know if that happened). Of course I kill a lot of rocks and do not feel their pain either. The Lingham I felt up was a big one, so maybe I should have sat on it to feel the “vibration”.

Real Cactus (Prickly Pear)

Fake Cactus with fake Dino's.

Fossil Croc.

I apologize if I have offended any Hindu in writing this article. This was not my intention. I just say what the little voices in my head tell me to.

I took a few other photos for your viewing pleasure.

Bead Day

Sunny 67

Bead Show inside.

The time before the shows opened at 10am was spent packing up several flat rate boxes to send back home. We went to find a post office and found we could not get to the post office as all the streets were closed due to construction on a trolley. It will help people get around better at some future time, but was a nuisance today. After a dead end or two we found a second Post office and we found that the Flat Rate had gone up.

Something unexpected at a bead show.

Quality Blue Lace

Anyone know what this Jasper is?

Unknown Jasp/Agate

The show choices today were based on three things, 1. Beads; 2. Chains; and 3. Beads.

We drove out to the Gem Mall and parked. The main shows provide shuttle service between them. We decided to go to the Doubletree Hotel for a show called “To Bead True Blue”. There were a couple vendors that Bonnie wanted to see, so I just followed along like a good husband. I was surprised once that a vendor from China had a couple of Blue Lace Pendant beads made from old material that you just can’t find anymore. I found one Jasper I can’t identify, but thought it is colorful and attractive. So while Bonnie was learning about filling bezels with resin clay I shopped for a few stones for her.

We concentrated on findings and other related items. We looked at a new product called Glinter, which sparkles like silver, but features zinc as a main product instead of silver. Combined with silver and copper it is lead, nickel and cadmium free and non-allergenic. So we found some copper and silver beads that we look forward to using in our Lake Superior stone jewelry.

Bonnie found a new pair of pliers she is excited about, and what could I say, I just bought a couple pliers myself. We replenished our supply of silver and rose gold chains so that everyone can have a handsome chain to set off the wire-wrapped pendants featured at Snob Appeal Jewelry.

Even though we spent the afternoon at a Bead Show, we did not buy beads! We went to learn about some new techniques and products rather than beads. Truthfully, Bonnie already has purchased more beads than she can handle in a year (and yes she knows it, I’m not just talking behind her back), so she only bought 4 strands of beads all day. Very restrained! They were very pretty Lapis, and cool-looking Blue Lace Agate nuggets that she just could not resist. And I did not buy a single slab or rock chunk all day. Sigh.

Where's the shuttle? All of us finally took a cab and shared the cost.

Better luck another day!

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

Sunny 75

The Arizona Mineral & Fossil show at the Tucson Hotel-City Center has long been one of our favorites. We noticed that it is approaching 300 vendors. Like all the other Hotel shows sales take place out of individual hotel rooms, in ballrooms, or lobbies. There are also dealers in tents and other buildings outside.

This show has always been great for bargain hunters as well as those looking for high-end specimens, fossils, dinosaurs, and Meteorites. The Hotel has three buildings, each one two stories. You can roam the balcony or the sidewalk and drop in on any room you want to look at. We see rough, slabs, finished jewelry, specimens, and fossils. Fossil fish can be your wall art, or a sculpture, and dinosaur bone can be had for pendants, or to decorate with.

This large gem grade black & Red Kentucky Agate was priced out at $4000. I never saw a 10" Kentucky, in these coveted colors, that was so nice.

This large gem grade black & Red Kentucky Agate was priced out at $4000. I never saw a 10" Kentucky, in these coveted colors. So nice!

Very nice picnic tables.

I know at least one person that would like to own this.

Awesome Smithsonite surounded by druzy-encrusted Quartz Crystals

Flowers and Rocks

Run, Bonnie, Run!

A fossil fish mobile.

Ammonite

The only way you can control these varments

The only way you can control these varmints, keep 'em in their packaging!

dinofam1

Bumblebee Jasper Skulls

scaryteeth treedino

An orange drops off a tree and they're on it.

Megalodon Mouth

Crinoid wall from Morocco

My Meteorite slab. Sorry about the reflections. This slab was mirror polished.

I mentioned earlier today on my Facebook page that my goal was to find something special to make jewelry from. That treasure appeared as a slice of a Pallasite Meteorite from Seymchan (Iron II E), Russia (found in 1967). Pallasites are wonderful meterorites containing Olivine, and the slab I found (later went back and got another slab), was chuck full of greenish-yellow gemstones. I am making myself a pendant and I have extra when someone else begs for one.

The market must be good for fiberglass dinosaurs, because they really multiplied from last year, so I’ve scattered a few photos in this blog. They can be bought for $2000 and up; way up!

The hotel is wonderfully landscaped with trees loaded with oranges. I even saw one baby dino trying to eat one that had fallen from the tree. Bonnie found some outstanding Lapis drilled pendent stones, and I found a great “Rock Star” T-shirt that pretty much describes me.

It was just a wonderful beautiful laid back day in Tucson.

Tucson Gem, Mineral, & Fossil Shows-AGTA and GJX

Sunny 75

Looking in Someone’s Junk Box Can be rewarding. Don Reed

So you get a feel for the layout downtown I took this photo from "A" Mountain. I-10 runs thru the center, On the closest side of I-10 are the shows in the hotels on the strip. Across the freeway over on the left side is the GJX Tent, and diectly across from the tent is the Tucson Convention Center. The annual Gem Shows bring in more money to Tucson than any other activity during the year.

So you get a feel for the layout downtown I took this photo from "A" Mountain. I-10 runs thru the center of the picture. On the closest side of I-10 are the shows in the hotels on the strip. Across the freeway over on the left side is the GJX Tent, and directly across from the tent is the Tucson Convention Center. The annual Gem Shows bring in more money to Tucson than any other activity during the year.

Entrance to the AGTA Show.

We attended the most upscale show Tucson has to offer today. The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has their annual show at the Tucson Convention Center in downtown. Also the Gem & Jewelry Exchange (JGX) has their big show in a huge hard-sided tent right across the street. Some cooperation occurs between the shows in that AGTA credentials also gets you into the JGX Show when you show your ID again. Both shows are wholesale only and require business credentials, tax licenses, and identification.

About a third of the booths at AGTA prior to opening.

A typical booth at AGTA. Great lighting enhancing many gemstones.

The AGTA show is primarily cut gemstone sales with dealers from around the world. There are booth after booth loaded with millions of gemstones in each booth. To me, every booth looks the same with salesgirls stylishly adorned, and salesmen dressed in suits. Many of these booths are Asian in nature, as most gemstones are found and cut in these countries. India was well represented, as was Thailand, China, and Australia with their opals. Security is very tight at this show. Pictures are not allowed on the show floor, but from up top I’ve not had anyone say anything.

Stone found in a "junkpile".

Other "Junkpile" stones included Queensland Agate, Montana Moss, and Citrine.

As is my nature, about half way thru this show I become bored seeing the same common rubies, sapphires, emeralds, opals, pearls, and such, in every booth. This is a show where jewelry stores and Home Shopping Networks on TV make their deals. Really big deals are made in hotel rooms, but I’ve seen some of the TV Jewelry networks making deals in the large food area. The Jewelry network buyers and some others wear VIP Buyer Credentials and are treated by the dealers as such. A sale to one of these people can truly “make” a show for a dealer.

Bi-colored Quartz.

Watermelon Tourmaline. WOW,

As I was saying before I got off track. I’m walking along just casually looking at all the same things, and I notice a couple trays of cabochons in the very bottom of a case on a little side aisle. Before I tell you what I saw, I should tell you that I asked the friendly lady if I could look at these bottom trays. “Oh, you want to see my junk trays?” I said “Yep, I want to see the junk trays.” So she hauled out three little trays from the bottom of the case.

The tray I saw at my first glance contained a wonderful LARGE THOMSONITE, obviously from the Lake Superior North Shore. I asked what she wanted for it and she said, “I don’t know what (stone) that is, but it’s half off whatever it’s marked.” My wife does not wish me to tell you what I paid for this treasure, and you would not believe me anyway. Here in Tucson in the middle of all those traditional gems it looked out of place, but our specialty at Snob Appeal Jewelry is stone pendants from the Great Lakes area, including beautiful Thomsonites. I can’t wait to get it home and do it up right! I picked out several more cabs, moss agates, Queensland agate, and citrine, from this ladies “junk”pile–wonderful stuff!

I was very thrilled with this find. What was this Thomsonite doing there mixed in with all those common gemstones?Luckily, no one else spotted it or cared about it, even with thousands just walking by… amazing.

I priced out some Watermelon Tourmaline: Wow! The prices were over the top, even wholesale. I finally bought a little piece, even though it hurt my wallet. Bonnie said she would wear it until I sold it. It is a very nice piece.

We found a dealer we buy from each year for small faceted gemstones I use to enhance my pendants. As usual, we had fun selecting from his bargain pile.

I also found some bi-color Quartz of Lemon Quartz and Smoky Quartz. This stuff makes amazing wire-wrapped jewelry.

It was a very good day to be at the shows. The Tucson experience should be on every rock enthusiasts bucket list. Watch tomorrow for a report from the Fossil Show; one of our favorites.

Tucson Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Shows-Hotels on the Strip.

Today we explored some of the Hotel Shows along I-10. These are wholesale/retail shows and feature much variety. You can see and buy the entire gamut of the lapidary arts.

Let’s just show you in pictures.

Rosebuckets

No shortage of obicular Jasper (AKA Ocean Jasper)

Citrine Geodes are commonly "cooked" Amethyst.

Citrine "Bowl"

Nice Geodes.

A happy bead lady.

Courtyard rocks.

courtyard uglyface

Faithfully guarding the rocks.

jadeships

Sugalite

Too many Crystals for one crystal.

Boulder Opal carvings.

WOW!

amethystgeodes smallamethyst lightamethystgeode

Skulls probably carved by aliens.

A Biggie in front of the Riverpark,

Petrified Bamboo.

Finish Spectrolite. Never saw anything like this.

These look great with the lights in them.

Carvings from quartziam-Riverpark

carving2 carving3 carving4

The biggest one we saw.

Tucson Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Shows-JOGS

75 and sunny (FINALLY nice weather)

The JOGS show opened today to large crowds. This show is held at the Tucson Expo Center. I would guess there were well over 100 vendors. We got there about a half hour before the show opened and claimed a nice parking spot. When we came out three hours later, the lot was packed full.

The giant Amethyst Geodes outside the JOGS Show were such a dark purple, they were almost black.

Bonnie got some drilled stones for use in pendants.

When we enter this show we immediately head for a dealer that sells wonderful treated druzy quartz. There are certain colors we sell a lot of and one is pink. Getting there early got me some good picks although I had to beat a few customers off protecting my tray I was choosing from.

The color was awesome on this Bumblebee Jasper.

Bonnie found some Kyanite Beads that were on her list, and although I was not in the market for anything in particular a few cabs caught my eye and the deal was done. I fell in love with a pair of large faceted Mystic Topaz‘s that my artistic eye already has a wrap idea for.

This Mystic Topaz really made me want it. NOW It's MINE!

This show features a lot of things and is strictly a wholesale show that requires business credentials to enter. We don’t buy enough to bargain on prices, but you can get real good deals if you buy in bulk. Quite a bit of manufactured jewelry is available, but we skip by that, looking for stones to create our hand crafted jewelry. Dealers from all over the world vend at this show.

Unfortunately, picture taking is not allowed at this show. Just imagine a big open space with tables piled high with goods, including piles of precious gemstones, and other goodies of all sorts, with dealers willing to get you to part with some cash. I and many others happily obliged.

Just a few buckets of Turquoise.

Tucson Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Shows-22nd Street Was the Only Game in Town.

65 cloudy

The 2013 Tucson Rock, Gem, Mineral and Fossil shows are ready to begin, but the city roads are a mess with orange cones and construction signs. If you are on your way here, be sure to bring your GPS to help navigate. Street construction is underway everywhere and I predict frequent bottlenecks.

Xiphactinus (TPI)

Turtle (TPI)

??? (PCI) The only game in town today was the 22nd Street Show opening a day early. Their parking lot was filled up and they have a new hard sided tent this year, much larger than last year. There were a great many fossil dealers at this show this year, but a scattering of dealers selling jewelry, gems, rough rock, cabs, beads, wallets, old glass bottles. The majority of dealers were set up and ready, but we noticed a few dealers still sitting up. I would say there were in excess of 100 dealers.

My favorite of the show was Triebold Paleontology Inc (TPI)(www.trieboldpaleontology.com). Their fossils are always top notch. A tortoise and another small-ish Preditor that resembled a small T-Rex, but they were not sure if it was, in fact, a T-Rex or a new smaller Raptor (adult). But is was from the Hell Creek area in South Dakota. TPI also had a reproduction of a Xiphactinus fish over 15′ for $36,500 and if you have a room big enough he has an real Xiphactinus at home, 18 ½ foot long for just over $300,000. Great display guys!

Manatee

fish

We saw a prehistoric Manatee at another dealer, the more common (in Tucson) fish plates, and many other assorted fossils.

Quartz Gems with Gem of a Woman.

I always enjoy the giant Quartz plates, and the one we saw at this show was great.

Elephant Bird Eggs

Protoceratops

One of the most unusual things we saw was someone selling Aepyornis Maximus (Elephant Bird) eggs. These are 12 foot tall Moa’s from Madagascar that weighed half a ton. The bird laid giant eggs, and it was obvious that the eggs we saw were reconstructed from many pieces found. The last known Aepyornis died in 1658 or so. It is surmised that they were killed by a disease transferred by chickens or Guinafowl imported by humans.

Nearly all the shows start tomorrow. We will keep you posted.

Breaking News from Snob Appeal Jewelry

As loyal readers of The Snob Blog, you deserve to be first to receive a couple of bits of news.

The rare and collectable Pink Petoskey Stone

If you are a reader of Rocks & Minerals Magazine, watch for the May-June issue for an article by Dr. George Robinson and myself on Pink Petoskey Stones. The article was originally submitted to another magazine in an extended version. In addition to the article coming out in Rocks & Minerals I will provide you with further material!

Downtown Tucson, Arizona: We are always eager to be here.

We always look for these monumental specimens at one of the over 30 Tucson shows.

The other great news is I intend to blog each day that we are at the Quartzite and Tucson. You will feel you are actually there through my photos and text (well almost). My Tucson Blogs are the most viewed blogs I write on my website. You can check out the last couple years of them by searching back in my blog.

Quirky Bisbee & Killer Bees

Sunny 55 in Bisbee/Sunny 65 in Tucson

Would a McDonalds like this appear in other then Benson, Arizona?

Would a McDonalds like this appear in other than Benson, Arizona?

View of "quirky" Bisbee.

The Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum is in the old Copper Queen Mine Headquarters building. The historic Copper Queen Hotel is in the background.

A little day trip was in store for us today. Since it is rock related we will share with you our adventures.

Bisbee, Arizona is considered one of the quirkiest towns in America. I have been there before a few years ago. At that time I was in Tucson by myself while Bonnie taught school. This is a true story: I arrived in Bisbee and got out of my car near a coffee shop downtown. What appeared to be an “Old Hippy’ came up to me and said “You wanna rumble?”. I replied that I had not even had my coffee yet and he just said “OK”, and walked away. That was my introduction to Bisbee.

The 900 foot deep Lavender Pit.

Another view of the Lavender Pit.

In early 1950s, after years of underground copper mining at the Copper Queen Mine and other mines in the area, open pit mining began near the Copper Queen Mine at the “Lavender Pit”, which was a mountain at that time. The Lavender Pit was named after Harrison Lavender, VP and General Manager of Phelps Dodge Cooperation, the owners of the mine. After mining 600,000 tons of copper from 86 million tons of waste, the Lavender Pit closed in 1974. The closure nearly killed Bisbee as most of the residents mined or had service businesses supported by the miners.

Things got so bad that even the largest hotel in town, the Copper Queen, was offered for sale for $1 to any local resident that would take it. There were no takers, so the hotel was sold to outside interests. The town was discovered by hippies after the mines were closed. Many moved there for the cheap houses for sale. I noticed many of the hippies are still there, but with canes and walkers.

I did not take the tour of the Copper Queen Mine, as I have before. I pretty much think if you’ve see one underground copper mine, you’ve seen them all. Unlike the mines in Michigan, native copper was not mined or appreciated, and the miners hated hitting veins of native copper. Their machinery was not equipped to process big chunks of pure copper.

The town is very historic. Many of the houses are right on the sides of the steep slopes with their fronts of backs held up by posts. This makes the town sort of different, with no rhyme or reason for the layout.

The history of the mining operations sort of parallels that of the mines in the Keweenaw. Cornish, Finish, and Serbian miners, among others, were lured with offers of housing and fair pay. They even know what a Pasty is in Bisbee.

Calcite and Malachite on Goethite-Copper Queen Mine-Bisbee Museum

Malachite/Azurite-Czar Mne-Bisbee Museum

Calcite tinted by Cuprite with Copper-Czar Mine-Bisbee Museum

Amazing Bisbee Blue-Lavender Pit-Bisbee Museum

Calcite Crystal Specimen-Museum

Wonderful Malachite, Azurite, Calcite, and other minerals were found in the Copper Queen Mine as well as later at the Lavender Pit. Some of Arizona’s most historical and extraordinary mineral specimens came from the Bisbee area. You can real more about the Copper Queen and the Lavender pit on line.

Sometimes the Copper Queen miners would hit oxidation pockets or “Crystal Caves” with stalactites and stalagmites colored beautifully by copper, somewhat unusual for copper mines. Some of these caves were larger than football fields. The miners used these caves for breaks and scenic underground lunches.

The Lavender Pit as well as the Copper Queen also produced some of the finest Turquoise in the southwest, especially the famous “Bisbee Blue” from the Lavender Pit. Hunting in the pit is only allowed once a year, and only on the spoil piles where chances are slim that any old Bisbee Blue will be found.

Some of the wonderful mineral specimens can be seen at the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum, associated with the Smithsonium.

No one wanted to “rumble” today and we had a wonderful walking tour of many of the gift shops. Also we bought some Killer Bee Honey from a guy that travels all over ridding house, properties, and businesses of killer bees. As a reward, he gets to keep the honey. YUM!

Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Shows-Dino Reunited with Head

Sunny 65 & breezy

OK: I lied

The "Bead Ladies" were out in droves today.

Dendritic Quartzite from Utah was half off.

I told you yesterday that that would be it for gem shows, but this was before I knew that the activity of the day was to go to a garden center and buy cactus or some other mutant plant that might actually grow in this climate. I opted to hit the Tucson Electric Park Show one last time.

It was obvious that the dealers were ready to go home. Some had been working shows for a month, coming to Tucson from the Quartzite Shows. They went from one dusty show to another. One vendor told me he would be spending a month getting the dust from his products.

I had no goal in mind, nor do I really need anything else, but you never know what you don’t know you need. I chatted with a dealer from Utah who I have purchased Tiffany Stone from in past years. He was willing to part with some Picasso Marble beads at show-end prices, so being a good husband, I bought several strands for Bonnie.

Dragon made from hardware parts.

It WAS windy enough to fly these kites today.

The “bead ladies” were out in full force snatching up those discounted strands, as were other savvy shoppers with a possible good bargain on their minds.

I saw some unusual things today I missed on previous trips. In one tent someone had made dragons, motorcyclists, monsters, and the like from bike chains, nuts, washers, and other hardware store goods. I thought they were weird, but interesting.

"Ugly" Ryolite cat.

This cat was made of Ryolite (the vendor said he owned the mine in Mexico). He wanted me to take it home at half price. I think if I had purchased it there would be no more chocolate chip cookies made for me ever again, and I would get the “That’s ugly” speech that I have heard hundreds of times before.

Dinosaur body without its' head-I can sleep now.

I have to confess something to you guys. Ever since I saw that poor dinosaur’s head looking out of the ground (as seen on my post of February 7th) I have not been able to sleep properly. Where is that poor creature’s body? One of my goals (actually my final goal) was to locate that ill-fated creature’s body. I knew if hunted hard and long enough, my efforts would be rewarded. Today I FOUND THAT BEAST’S BODY! This is why you should always have a lofty goal and endeavor to accomplish it. Now I will finally get the much needed rest I have earned, and I can celebrate with a cold beer and a Tucson Taco.

I cannot say this is the final blog from here, but I do know there are no more shows. Sigh.