Richard and Andrew Marek had great father and son bonding time on the piles.
We usually travel to Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, in August, where we participate in Art Shows, and do wire wrapping demonstrations at Copper World in Calumet. Because our art shows were cancelled and demos were not possible due to the Virus, we focused on rock hunting in the Upper Peninsula.
The Ranger is the National Park Service boat that serviced Isle Royale National Park. From our campsite, we watched it go out every two days.
We camped and rock hunted to our hearts’ content. While camped, I was able to work on the rocks we found with my mobile shop setup and made jewelry on my work bench.
A classic Candy Striper always make me smile. This one, I purchased from Ryan Pikk at the Quincy Swap Meet. I took the rough Laker back to the RV, and made it into instant jewelry.This Amethyst Laker called me to make it into jewelry while in the Keweenaw.Keweenaw Prehnite is absolutely gorgeous.The Isle Royale Queen IV is not running from Copper Harbor this year. The only way you can get there is by seaplane.TheThere are still a few inches to squeeze in more rocks.The pile here used to be above the trees. I am carefully searching for an elusive Greenstone, with only moderate success.Bonnie searches a beach at dusk. Is she looking for a fluorescent rock?
Was rock hunting successful? Yes, considering the good areas becoming more scarce. Most of you know that many of the old rock piles have been crushed and hauled away, leaving large flat area and small piles. Where rock piles used to be as high as the trees, they’ve now ground level. You have to work harder to find what used to be relatively easy.
A drill core is a treat to find. Just thinking a trio of miners, 100 years ago , could have drilled this hole.
Bonnie’s goal was to find the worlds’ largest Greenstone, which was not happening, while mine was to survive the rock piles while still recovering from and ankle fusion. I accomplished my goal, and was stronger at the end of our trip. It’s amazing to me that you do not feel much pain when you are actually rock hunting, but it catches up after the hunt is finished for the day.
We hunted close to a dozen locations, with limited success in every locale. We stocked up on rocks and minerals we could use in our grab bags, that we sell 3 for $10 at art shows and elsewhere. Some things everyone loves in their grab bags are, small Greenstones in matrix, shiney Calcite, Prehnite, and small copper pieces.
A Garden Rock of Great Size
Other things Bonnie looks for are new garden rocks. You should have seen us hauling a 70# chunk of mine rock with calcite and Cuprite seams. That one was hard to miss in the pouring rain.
This is the colorful garden rock we hauled off the Central Pile.I see Prehnite, Calcite, and specks of Copper.
It was quite a trek to the car, and we tried, with limited success to fit this rock into a 5 gallon bucket on our Broll (Bucket Roller). Bonnie steadied the rock, while I pulled the cart to the car. We only dumped it a couple times; each time stopping, and hoisting it back into the stretched bucket. It’s amazing what greed will make a person do.
Hunting with Friends
Our new rockhound buddy Rayanne around the best of the day.
In the great out doors it seemed safe to rock hunt with others. We took some friends from our rock club around to some places for them to hunt. I can testify they too were greedy, filling up the back end of their pickup. We all had great fun, and tested our mettle in the rain.
We found some fine gem grade Prehnite, a few fine Copper Crystals, a limited supply of possible Greenstones, and a couple small Datolites.
The Swap meet at the Quincy Mine produced several Copper Agates, a couple fine Candy Striped Lakers, and much visiting with old friends at an Unsociable Distance.
There were a few of these around.Lots of these Chlorite-coated balls about. Gotta cut this one and see. It looks promisingThe one that looked promising above, turned out to be the best we found.Here’s the back.Another one, that maybe has life in itThis is often the case with Greenstones. You see some pattern, but it runs out.There are more possibilities.
Of course we also made a visit to the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum on the campus of Michigan Tech, to see all the specimens from the area that we drool over. The great colored Datolites (and huge too) are big favorites.
Centennial Datolite is one of the rarest.Bonnie practices unsocial Distancing.
All the campgrounds were totally filled, and continue to be, so if you go rock hung in the UP or Keweenaw, get reservations.
Fantastic sunsets. This one from the top of Brockway Mountain.
This year was a more restful visit than usual, but we still missed the Art Shows.
I sometimes actually require a challenge when making my jewelry. The opportunity of a challenge presented itself when I cut a very special translucent Rhodochrosite. I found it some years back, at the Tucson Gem Shows.
Rhodochrosite most often presents itself in a banded gemstone of widely varied color and quality resembling agate. It can have brown or white inclusions. You can find Rhodochrosite lurking all over the Tucson shows, but not many dealers have the highest grade stuff.
I seek out wonderful clear pastel pink translucent Rhodochrosite, from Argentina, without the common banding. If you do find a stash, it’s very pricey.
Floral Fireworks
Over the past three days I used the cabochon I made from some of my Grade “A” Rhodochrosite as the base for a new pendant. Pendant ideas often pop into my head, many times, in the middle of the night. If pendant ideas come in a dream, I know I should get to it ASAP. Two A.M. is a wonderful quiet time to be creative.
This image shows the skilled bead work (earrings) by Bonnie. A perfect match for the pendant.
I wanted to make a three-piece pendant, but what other stones and colors look great with Rhodochrosite? Green is a go-to color when you have pink. I chose a piece of Nevada Turquoise, cut it into a more-less oval shape, and placed the two cabs on a table. What a perfect fit! Next I needed figure out the bottom section. I tried several cabochons, settled on a Mystic Topaz for the bottom. It was nice, but after a while it didn’t seem just right.
I have made thousands of pendants, and was confident something would come to me on what to do for the bottom.
Inspired in the Bead Room
Some of you know that Bonnie is a professionally trained bead artist (attended my Alma mater, The William Holland School of Lapidary Arts). She has thousands of beads in her bead room. I went there for inspiration. She had perfectly matched beads to both the Rhodochrosite and the Turquoise. She also is my strongest critic, and I generally take her criticism and suggestions seriously. She is also a fantastic gardener, and suggested I somehow incorporate these perfectly matched beads into, sort of a, garden/fireworks, floral design. She suggested a pink and green flower garden. I recall those fireworks that explode and “spray down in an umbrella shape”, sparkling as they drop.
Another few hours, and another wake up in the middle of the night, produced, what I think, was the perfect “fireworks garden”. Random bead placement insured an informal look. The pendant was finally talking to me. It told me what it wanted. The question is always; “But can I pull this off”/
The pendant is made of double gold filled wire, and twisted Argentium Sterling. The second pendant is hinged to the top so it can swing. The bottom bead strands are also hinged, and hang from the second (Turquoise) pendant and each set can also swing freely. Over the straight, swinging, bead sections, I’ve hinged in a 6-bead round circle, that also is hinged, and swings freely from all other areas. This pendant has maximum animation!
My number one critic says it’s one of my prettiest pendants ever. I like it myself; so two out of two “yes” votes.
Top: Rhodochrosite with Pyrite inclusions from Argentina. Bottom: Oppu Rhodochrosite is a rare Raspberry Rhodochrosite from Japan. The top pendant is Actinolite, from Canada, and raspberry Oppu Rhodochrosite, from Japan. Green and pink are great complementary colors. The bottom Image is the more typical, banded, Rhodochrosite mix from Argentina.Lone Mountain Nevada (same Turquoise as the Flora Fireworks Pendant has).
Pendants, like this, take much thought, careful planning, and many hours of careful and skillful work, but the results? FANTASTICAL!! YES, I did pull this off.
The name of my new creation “Floral Fireworks“.
Many people consider crystals found at the Sweet Home mine in Colorado many years ago to be the finest Rhodochrosite ever found. This Rhodochrosite is clear red, in crystal formation, the most valuable ever found; some specimens worth many millions of dollars. An entire 6′ pocket, from the Sweet Home was purchased by Coors and donated to the Denver Museun of Nature & Science. This is a bucket list, must see. I’ve been there, and was awestruck.
This is a fair sized Greenstone form the Central Mine. They’re getting harder and harder to find.
Do you love small pendants? The popularity of smaller pieces of jewelry seems to have grown recently. Many people prefer a more petite pendant, that are less pretentious to wear, all the time, on a simple chain. Small stones can have big appeal for the rock/jewelry lover.
Thomsonite from the North Shore. I found this many years ago. Sitting on a dime.
Many of our Great Lakes rocks and minerals have filled the bubbles in amygdaloidal basalt and are small in nature. A few of the stones from the Great Lakes that are often petite include Isle Royale Greenstones, Thomsonite, Datolite, Copper Agates, and my favoite stone, Lake Superior Agates. Many times these gemstones are more amazing in a pint-sized versions, than in a larger size.
Another Not Shore Beauty. Sitting on a dime.
The difficulty I have as a wire artist is that smaller stones are more difficult to wire wrap than larger ones! In order to wrap these, I have created custom tools and use 24 gauge precious metal wire. This wire is more delicate and needs careful handling in construction.
In wearing these small pieces, be assured that the 24 gauge wire is sturdy enough for everyday wear.
A gorgeous, tiny, Lake Superior Eye Agate; smaller than a dime. I love the challenge or wire wrapping these tiny gemstones. Iknow it doesn’t look like Gold. Sometimes I like the look of Pink Gold.
My wire wrapping abilities with special tools allow me to wire wrap stones 1″ circumference or larger. Smaller than that, the stone is destined for a silversmith to put a bezel around it for a ring or necklace. A talented Goldsmith can create a lost wax setting; This is often done with rings.
Copper Agates seldom are found bigger than a dime. I named this “Copper Map”.Many ask; What do Copper Agates look like in the rough? Here’s the rear of the Copper Agate I posted above. Would you pick this up? The Savvy Rockhound would, especially if it set off the Pinpoint Medal Detector.
Just because a gemstone is small, does not mean will not attract attention. Our customers often mention the compliments they receive on small pendants they got from us. One of the comments I enjoy is “How does a guy with such large hands, create these magical, diminutive, pieces of jewelry”?
Many of the treasures found around Lake Superior, or in the Old Mine Dumps in the Keweenaw, are small but stunningly beautiful. They may be small, but killers in their beauty.
We’ll remember 2020 for COVID-19 and restaurants closed on Mother’s Day. Even though the family was self isolating, it was rewarding to make some fine jewelry in hopes that the economy will improve eventually.
Beanie’s were all dressed up with jewelry for Mother’s Day. They want to go for brunch, but seem happy being together.
I think the happy Beanie Babies, and the happy jewelry may cheer you up.
Except for Bonnie’s Pendant, all these jewelry creations are for sale. Call or E-Mail us if you are interested.
Bonnie’s Mother’s Day Pendant was this spectacular Firebrick and Franklin Datolite. The Datolite has copper lightning!
I named this pendant “Stems”. Crinoud soup with some spices.
A designer style Pink and Blue Petoskey.
A nice Pink Pet. A few flaws, but great pink.
A perfect North Shore Thomsonite coupled with two matched Greenstone from Isle Royale. The wave and Ice would have ground these Greenstone to dust, had they not been harvested 60 years ago.
An unusual Thomsonite Sunrise mix from Superior’s North Shore.Madagascar Ammonite; Yes, some do look like Oak Leaves. Patterns on Ammonite shells are called Suture Patterns, and help identify various Ammonite species. This particular Ammonite is a Cleoniceras. I ground this Ammonite down, past its’ outermost layer, to expose only limited pattern on the harsh black background.Staurolitehas a natural Cross Crystal Pattern. Some very fine Staurolite Crystals, like this one, form perfect crosses. Really nice Staurolite comes from remote regions of Russia’s Kola Peninsula.
Self isolation is a perfect time to dig deep into my old material and find some special and unusual gemstones. Bonnie has fun rooting around in the pole barn, to find special rocks. While I play in the shop, she will come in often, all excited about something new she found. “When’s the last time you saw this?”, she will say. “Maybe 20 year ago; or 30; or never.” I might reply. Sometimes I too am so excited, I grab that rock, and instantly cut it, making a gem right away.
Please support us, and other small businesses, as we are challenged by current conditions. Think “Made in the USA” as you make your purchases. Thanks for the support.
I’ve been ahead of the curve as it relates to this isolation. In January, I opted for an Ankle Fusion (not as much fun as it sounds). I was in three different casts in 6 weeks, than a boot for another 6 weeks, now a walking boot. During that time I could not get out and about.
This isolation allowed me to be pretty much home bound in an RV in Florida. You cannot imagine how much jewelry a person can manufacture with so much time. I took the opportunity to up my jewelry game by making not only more jewelry, but more complicated and innovative jewelry.
This blog will be things I’ve made just the past month. All are for sale, but may not be on line or in our show inventory yet. If you are interested in any of these, call or message me.
I love reaching into a vug at one of the Amethyst Mines near Thunder Bay, Ontario, and feeling the sharp points of mud-encrusted Amethyst. Careful prodding and pulling will often dislodge an excellent specimen. this one had set around for a decade in my shop, finally attracting my attention.Condor Agates, from remote mountain areas in Argentina, are some of the most colorful agates on Earth. You have to wade through a lot of Condors to find exceptional ones. This designer cut beauty came out very nice, and sports some remarkable colors and patterns.A couple custom rings were recently made for a couple awesome ladies. The top is a Pink Topaz, while the bottom one is Isle Royale Greenstone with assorted Copper and Silver Beads.Yellow Cat Petrified wood is a rare limb cast wood from Grand County, Utah. Back in the day all of this material was bought up by Tiffany and made into jewelry. Parts of this wood glow green under the UV light. Small amounts at large prices are sometimes found at the major Gemshows in Tucson or Quartzsite.I found this piece of Dinosaur Bone at the Tucson Gen Shows a few years back. I was attracted to it because of the scenic picture, and unusual Agate/D-Bone mix.The top is an Actinolite mix from Canada, and the bottom is extremely rare Oppu Rhodochrosite from Japan. Oppu is easily recognized by its Raspberry color.A Centennial (Mine), blue Datolite and a Silver-Copper Nugget. Centennial Datolite is very rare, and is one of the most coveted varieties of Datolite. This one has so much Copper in it that it has a beautiful pink sheen.I found a large (2 1/2″h x 1 1/2″w) Fordite that had a wavy, gray surface. I thought to just his the high spots of the surface. WOW! How amazing is this? The rear (shown below) is also very fine.The rear of the above Fordite. Hey; I wrapped this one so you can wear either side to the front, as your mood suggests! Ruby in Fuchsite is a beautiful stone primarily from India. The striking combination of red Ruby and pastel green Fuchsite makes this stone very sought after.Under a UV light, the Rubies just glow like fiery embers. Ooooh!I love these little Silver-Copper and Silver Nuggets from Michigan’s Copper Country. They are not so easy to find since many of the waste piles at the Copper mines have been hauled away for road fill. A fun reminder of the Copper Country.A blue, pink, and orange Petoskey Stone. It’s got a lot going on. Chrysocolla, Azurite, and other things combine to make a stunning gemstone.Just a really nice Pink Petoskey with a simple Unisex wrap.Drusy (Druzy) Quartz’s are natural Quartz pockets that are sometimes dyed, sometimes treated with Titanium Vapor Depositions; sometimes both. They’s always popular and attention getting.Chrysoprase is the most expensive member of the Quartz family. Most of the “Prase” is scarfed up by the Asian markets and is known as Australian Jade. It rivals jade in beauty, if you find a fine pure piece, like this one.Big and bold, these Elrathia Kingii Trilobites from Utah, are in my opinion, one of the finest types of Trilobites. Most still have their “cheeks”, and make great jewelry.Lastly a large custom pendant, I made for a special lady. The large Silver-Copper was hers, and I added a large Greenstone and a smaller nugget of silver and copper. This one was over three inches and is a real stunner.
During recovery from ankle surgery this winter, I’ve had plenty of time to work on new and remarkable pendants. I think I am approaching 200 new pieces of jewelry in the last couple months.
This blog will feature just some of the projects completed, and there are many more gemstones in line begging to be jewelry.
Our “Yooperland” Pendants feature Fire Brick cut into the shape of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A Isle Royale Greenstone, from the Island is place in the general location of Isle Royale. Both stones are glued to a fine Blue Lace Agate.
Gotta love Datolite with Copper. The pink gold really brings out the red metal, don’t you think?This Drusy (Druzy) fish was purchased at the Tucson Gem Shows, and carefully wrapped by me. Starting with a natural Quartz Drusy, the finished fish was created by a combination of dyeing and Titanium Deposition.Isn’t nature amazing? This one is a natural Staurolite Crystal from Russia. Most of these crystals do not cross pefectly; but some, like this are perfect.The Kearsage Lode near Calumet Michigan lies in the heart of Copper Country. Sometimes lucky digging in the old tailings piles will produce wonderful agates that have copper replacing some of the agate banding. These are not common and require a lot of work to find.Paint overspray from car, boat, and manufacturing is commonly known as “Fordite”, but may not have anything to do with Ford. The remarkable, fully metallic pendant shown, is paint from the old Century Boat Company in Manistee, Michigan. The paint was used on their fancy ski boats back in the 70’s and 80’s. This [aint just shines in the sun. Amazing!A perfectly patterned Petoskey Stone.Out of this world-a Muonionalusta Meteorite piece. I use industrial two-part epoxy to seal these and prevent corrosion. The are iron meteorites after all.A gorgeous Australian Boalder Opal. Ot’s unfortunate the color flashes, of the Opal. do not clearly show in a photo. this is really a remarkable stone.Brown Rhodochrosite is normal Pink Rhodochrosite with impurities. I think it has more character than the usual Rhodochrosite we see.Beautiful gem Rhodochrosite is translucent pink, and often does not have the banding that is a more common feature in this gemstone.Dark-eyed Thomsonite from the North Shore of Lake Superior is coveted by Thomsonite officianados, especially if it is a beautiful pastel specimen like this one.A family of Trilobites from Delta, UtahCopper Shale from the old White Pine Mine. Copper shale requires stabilization, but certainly unique.Very rare and sought after Rhodocrosite from the Oppu Mine on the Japanese Island of Honshu. this mine has been closed for decades and produced remarkable Raspberry Pink Rhodochrosite; often boitrioidal.Shining a light through the above Oppu Rhodochrosite, shows the boitrioidal pattern within this material. There was no other Rhodochrosite quite like it, and this is a pretty special piece.Mohawkite was found in several Copper Mines in the Mohawk, Michigan area of the Keweenaw Peninsula. This piece is very unusual as it appears slightly pink. I do not know what caused this hueLeland Blue slag glass from the old Leland Foundry has become a popular jewelry making item in recent years.Pectolite var. Larimar that I recently acquired from the guy that introduced Larimar to the world, at the Tucson Gem Shows in 1986The reverse side of the picture above. I wrapped the pendant so either side count be out.
Some of these new items are available on line, while others are in our show inventory. Nearly all are still available. Give us a call on these scarce, beautiful, and rare gemstones. We are known to have the things no one else does.
Recovering from ankle surgery has me homebound this winter. The good side is that it has forced me to focus on making many new jewelry pendants.
Having the extra time has also allowed me to make more complicated stone pieces. This blog will concentrate on pendants with multiple pieces. Many of them are hinged so the bottom moves. There are advantages to this configuration. When you sit, stand, or move, the pendant will react and make it more noticeable (and who doesn’t want to be noticed?). There is no reason why everything in life needs to be static. (Man, that’s a pretty profound statement). Enjoy these new artworks, as much as I did making them.
The collection posted features primarily Great Lakes Regional Gemstones, but there are a couple non-Great Lakes Gems in the mix.
An Isle Royale Greenstone with Thomsonite inclusions, was combined with Blue Centennial Datolite. Sorry; this one is sold.
Leland Blue slag glass looks great with flashy crystal CZ’s
I call these Yooperland Specials; The U.P. is Firebrick. The Isle Royale Greenstone (from the Island), and they are all on a Blue Lace Agate base.
From the Kearsarge Lode near Calumet Michigan, this Copper Agate is coupled with Pink Gold Beads. The beads and the Pink Gold in the wrapping, bring out the Copper Inclusions in the Agate.
A petite double Greenstone pendant .One of the best Pink Petoskey Stones I’ve done in a while.
This will be the first part of two or three blogs on new jewelry I’ve made recently. Most of the new ones are for sale on line, or are in our show inventory. If you are interested in any of them call or e-mail us at Snobappealjewelry@yahoo.com.
Are you wondering what Snob Appeal Jewelry Christmas gifts were delivered by Santa this year?
In this blog I wanted to show you what some special people got for Christmas. At our house all the girls received special Abalone Shell Pendants accompanied by the singing of “It’s an Abalone Christmas” to the tune of “It’s a Holly Jolly Christmas”.
It’s an Abalone Christmas, and a great time of the year. Everybody have an Abalone Christmas; this year.
California Abalone shells.
This was great fun!
New Zealand’s famous Paua Shells are arguably the most beautiful and colorful mother of pearl available. You have to wear a mask when cutting these, as the fumes they emit are very toxic. I learned the hard way a few years ago.. I discover this shell shard in the bottom of a bucket of rocks that I had no idea where they came from. A nice surprise I saved for Bonnie.
My favorite girl (aka Bonnie) did not receive an Abalone, but did get a Paua Shell pendant. I consider these beautiful shells, the Cadillac of shells becaue of their fantastic pastel colors and amazing pearlescents. I read recently that the Maori people believe they see the symbolic eyes of ancestors gazing down from the night sky.
Bonnie also got a special pendant from Santa. I have saved the stones for a few years, waiting for the right time to make it and the inspiration. Both of these stones are super special. First comes a three gram Michigan Greenstone from the Phoenix Mine with a fantastic pattern, and second, probably the most fantastically colored yellow Keweenaw Point Datolite, I’ve ever seen. When you say “Canary Yellow”, this one exceeds that description. The best “Points” are found by diving off the tip of the Keweenaw.
WOW! The jewelry makers’s wife owns this beauty.
The pendant is a two-piece unit where the bottom swings from the top. The wrapping was a challenge, but the results were worth it. My jewelry model loved it, and it was one of the first Christmas gift jewelry pieces that was a real surprise for her.
Since we offer the best Michigan Chlorastrolite Greenstones on the web, we sell many of them. Here are some pictures of a few pendants that are being worn by customers wives and girlfriends.
It seems that the Gemstone pendants chosen were very diverse this year. Here are a few of those. We have heard from several happy gifters and giftees.
First, here’s a new 2020 pendant for sale, Remarkable Couple, just off the workbench. A Blue Datolite from the Isle Royale Mine. The Isle Royale cosisted of 14 shafts located in Houghton County (top of the hill past the present day Walmart). Most people associate blue Datolite with the Centennial Mine, but there were other mines that also had blue. This Datolite made friends with a nice North Shore Thomsonite.This was a wierd Fordite that I was inspired to do some creating cutting and wrapping on. A Century Boat Paint from Manistee, I refered to this one as “The Alien”. A whimsical favorite around here, it became a Christmas gift to a lucky lady.A pair representing many Greenstones sold this year as Christmas gifts. The left one is one I found at the Central mine years ago, and the right one is boitrioidal and filled with copper. I’m not sure where I found this one; but both have happy new homes. WOW!Teepee Canyon Agates are close relatives of Fairburn Agates. Arguably they are Fairbun Agates that are still in their matrix. Some old ones I’ve had sported Amethyst, but the nice ones look like this. Someone is now wearing this gift that Santa delivered.
I hope you enjoyed this review of some of the Snob Appeal Jewelry Christmas gifts that went out this year. Didn’t get your favorite? Start shopping now!
Looking back through the year Bonnie has been remembering some of the unique stone pendants that I have created. We miss some of our favorites, but are glad they have gone to new owners. Of the ones that are available, here are some new favorites, Top 7 Stone Pendants (or maybe a bit more)!
Now this was a tough choice. We added three new sets recently, and they are all really nice. Malachite is trendy today and the On Target Malachite Set Sma350 is very cool, but Smooth Sailing Blue Lace Agate Jewelry Set Sbl350 gets my vote today. The pastel blue of Blue Lace Agate is so popular, this set is stately and a useful addition to you jewelry collection.
Waves and Mountains Lake Superior Agateclose up of Waves and Mountain Lake Superior Agate
For rareness, different coloring, and just unique you might choose Banded Steel Iron Lace Pls330. Prefer green in your Laker? My favorite of the year is Waves and Mountains Pls355. For impact, paint agate, pink with banding,
Do you like yours pure dark blue, light blue, or with bits of gray? Again, so many ways to classify your stone. Top rank goes to one paired with a Petoskey Stone and Greenstone beads, making a Michigan Trilogy Pendant Ppe350.
The Weirdest Fossil Pendant
King Family Trilobites Pendant
The Kingii Family Trilobites Ptri350 rises to mind as the most unique fossil ever wire wrapped. We have had doubles before, but triple? It sort of evokes the maternal nature of family life, always together. But what about Wonderful Worm Homes Pendant Psh350? Isn’t it a fossil lovers dream to own a calcereous worm tubes jewelry piece? I almost forgot the large, in your face, amazing pyritized Ammonite. Mastadon Teeth, Dinosaur Bones, Dinosaur Dung also fit in the odd fossil category. It’s so hard to choose! The large Ammonite is my favorite, contact us if you are interested, it is in our show inventory.
Did you love our Top 7 Stone Pendants? If you want more to choose from, in the last two months we have added new pendants to so many places, visit these categories:
Definitions: A Bill is a Legislative Proposal offered for debate before its enactment.
An Act is a Statute, law. or a decision by a Legislative Body.
An Enrolled House Bill is the final copy of a bill or joint resolution that has passed both houses of congress in identical form. An Enrolled House Bill is the document that is eventually signed by the Governor. This is important. I have seen online Posts identifying HB 2297 as the bill that made Petoskey Stones the State Stone of Michigan, but Act No. 89, Public Acts of 1965 is the Legal Authority that made the Petoskey Stone Michigan’s Official State Stone.
All the stones featured in this blog are, or contain Petoskey Stone. Color, Pattern, or Species make no difference. They are all our Official State Stone.
From my archives via an estate sale. This is a rare copy of the Endorsed bill that Gov. Romney signed into Act No. 89 on June 28, 1965
History of Legislation
In 1965 a bill was authored by Representatives- Eugene R. Cater-Ludington and Stanley Powell-Ionia (that being HB2297). This bill was to make the PETOSKEY STONE the official State Stone of Michigan. The legislature passed rapidly through to the Governor’s desk. Act No. 89, of Public Acts of 1965 was signed by Governor Romney on June 28, 1965. This Act made the Petoskey Stone Michigan’s Official State Stone. The Act simply states that the PETOSKEY STONE is the Official State Stone of Michigan. There was no mention of one specific species of Hexagonaria being Michigan’s State Stone. In 1965 there were at least 7 recognized species of Hexagonaria. Now there at at least 9 recognized types of Hexagonaria. By making Act No. 89 general in nature, the Act still applies to newly identified species. There have never been any amendments to Act No. 89, according to State Archives.
This Petoskey Stone is soon to be a pendant
Prior to retirement, I enforced State Laws for 40 years. I have been involved with writing legislation and testifying before a State committee on a couple proposed Bills, helping write one of them. I’m well versed in how the government works, and how Acts and laws are passed. You cannot read into State Legislation what is not there, and this seems to be the case with Act No. 89, PA 1965, where various people; a lot of people; have added information that is not present in the law or Act itself.
Red Matrix over Petoskey StoneYellow Petoskey Stone with a hint of pink, both caused by Iron Staining. The Pink was iron that got into the calcite as the Petoskey Stone Calcified. The yellow was Iron stains at a later date.
Some Things About the Author
I admit that even though I have hunted thousands of pounds of Petoskey Stones over 50 years or so, and sold thousands of pounds of them, I am still not good enough to identify specific species of them. I can pretty much ID a Hexagonaria percarinata because it’s the most common Petoskey Stone I find, and Hexagonaria anna because it’s very large, but the other Hexagonaria usually stump me. To me, as with most, finding a Petoskey Stone is good enough. An article I co-wrote with Dr. George Robinson in Rocks and Minerals (May/June 2013, Vol 88, No. 3) introduced Pink Petoskey Stones to the world. A pink Petoskey that I found and donated to the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum is now on display in their Michigan Fossil Case.
This is the beautiful palm-sized Pink Petoskey that I found and donated to the Seaman Mineral Museum, and now resides in their Michigan Fossil case.Matrix present, but still a Petoskey Stone.
AboutPetoskey Stones
Some think a Hexgonaria does not become a Petoskey Stone until it has been polished, but commonly the rough waterwashed stones are called Petoskey Stones. The intent of Act 89 was clearly to include the stones people find in random Michigan locations. Some refer to Hexagonaria from other states and localities around the world, as Petoskey Stone. Very simply, the Act NEVER mentions that a particular species of Hexagonaria was the Official State Stone. The bill simply states that the Petoskey Stone is Michigan’s Official State Stone. Most people liked the general nature of Act 89. If you found a Petoskey Stone (Hexagonaria), no matter what species, you still can claim you found an Official State Stone, giving you a happy time feeling. I, as well as most Petoskey Stone Hunters believe that if you find a Michigan fossil of colonial coral with six sides, it’s a Petoskey Stone. This is not really the case, but close enough for me.
In the Geology of Michigan (John A. Dorr, Jr., c1970) he states “Colonial coral fragments eroded from these rocks (the ledges and Devonian Age Reefs) often are found along the beaches of lakes in the Lower Peninsula. When polished by the abrasive action of the waves, these are called “Petoskey stones”.”
Small patterns do not mean this is a baby Petoskey. It simply means that this is a different species. What species? I do not know. No matter the species, it’s still a Petoskey Stone.
Dr. Stumm’s Position
The suggestion that Hexagonaria pericarnata be Michigan’s State Stone. was made by Dr. Erwin C. (Win) Stumm in 1969 (4 years after the State Act was signed into law). Dr. Strumm made this distinction based on his extensive knowledge of fossils. He knew that percarinata was the most common Hexagonaria found in Michigan. Dr. Strumm died on April 24, 1969. He was undoubtedly the leading expert in the world on Devonian Invertabrate fossils at that time. A paper published in 1970, after Stumm’s death. You can read his Corals of the Traverse Group of Michigan Part 13 Hexagonaria and see photos of various species. This is a heavy duty scientific paper.
In the paper, Stumm writes “Hexagonaria percarinata is the famous Petoskey Stone adopted by the legislature as The State Stone of Michigan”. Could it be that Stumm did not know what the State Act said? It was too late to ask him by the time his paper was published.
Just a real nice polished Petoskey Stone
This was all well and good, that Dr Stumm suggested Hexagonaria percarinata was the state stone, but Dr. Stumm did not have the legal authority to change State Legislation. ONLY a lawmaking body can make changes in already passed State Legislation. Act No. 89 of Public Acts of 1965 was never amended. Off and on people have suggested that the historical and common term of Petoskey Stone be more clearly defined. I do not think it should. Take a look at the photos in his paper. Would you know the difference in species, when you pick up a Petoskey Stone?
Act 89 has never been changed, therefore the Petoskey Stone remains Michigan’s Official State Stone designation-NOT Hexagonaria percarinata. People have been told, by so called experts, that what they found was NOT a Petoskey Stone, because it was not a Hexagonaria percarinata. Is Hexagonaria percarinata a Petoskey Stone? Yes it is; but so are many other Hexagonaria species.
Just because Stumm stated that Hexagonaria percarinata was his selection as the State Stone, it did not make it so. Shortly after Stumm made his statement, false information started to appear that somehow Hexagonaria percarinata became the Official State Stone. Not the case friends, no change in the law took place.
Today, you may read on the web; Petoskey Stone-(Hexagonaria percarinata) this and Petoskey Stone-(Hexagonaria percarinata) that, whenever Michigan’s State Stone is mentioned. The term (Hexagonaria Percarinata) always seems to be in parenthesis, following Petoskey Stone on the web, and in print. I’ve never seen an Official State document that has parenthesis in it. This is a dead giveaway that someone just added this information later. In a legal document. parenthesis are never used. It is impossible to track down when exactly placing (Hexagonaria Percarinata) after Petoskey Stone became common practice, but it did.
I really think it is way too late to do anything about the proliferation of mis-information on the web, and many other places, but certainly the facts are the facts. I come from a prior life of Incident Reports, legal docs, Investigations,and facts. (“Just the facts, ma’am.”) If you can convince me I’m incorrect in what I write, feel free to let me know.
If someone tells you that Hexagonaria percarinata is the State Stone, You are welcome to show the copy of Act 89, PA 1965 that is posted in this blog. Ask them where in this Michigan Act, it says anything about Hexagonaria percarinata?
Some of you may doubt what I have written is true, but the evidence and facts are readily available. Check the facts yourself. It’s unfortunate so many people believe what they read on the Internet without checking the facts.
