mid-70’s sunny as usual
We are making those little side trips to the minor shows looking in the nooks and crannies for unfound treasure.
This table was covered with geode spheres at JGM.
Detail from sphere table.
We found a little event today at the Tucson Showplace, which sounds big and exciting, but is in fact a small group of dealers in a little mall-like area. I usually go there for Ocean Jasper as the original miner is there from Madigascar. Here we found Gene Mueller (The Gem Shop) from Wisconsin, a legendary miner of Mexican material. He also has some of the best rough rock at the best prices of any of the shows. It is always worth while to check out his rockpiles. Bonnie had fun searching through the Condor Agate rough, while I looked for a couple pieces of Laguna Agate from Mexico. We both found some pieces we thought would cut nice: but you never know what might be inside. That’s the thrill of lapidary work.
Small intarsia tables.
Detail from Ocean Jasper tables.
Jessica leaning the Sea Monster.
There was a young lady outside one of a fossil dealer there cleaning a Mosasaur fossil from Morocco outside of Infinity Traders. This was a late cretaceous period creature. Although this was a small one, really big ones were the kings of the sea; nasty creatures. I think I saw one of these in the movie “Sea Monsters”. The National Geographic Society made a short 3D movie by the aforementioned name a few years back. If you did not see this movie, you really missed out. It is out on DVD, but it is not the same as seeing it on the big screen in 3D.
Bonnie and I also made a quick go through of the JGM (Jewelry, Gem, and Mineral Exposition) show tent near 22nd Street along the freeway. I took a couple photos, but we bought only a few cabs and some beads.
Ocean Jasper galore.
The weather was just remarkable and we noticed most of the parking lots at the shows we went by were full.