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Lawrence County Rock Club (Indiana) show and swap
Last Updated: 28th Jun 2011
The Lawrence County Rock Club (Indiana) held its 46th annual gem, mineral, and fossil show and swap on June 24-26 at Monroe County Fairgrounds near Bloomington, Indiana. This show includes plenty of dealers and traders involved in all aspects of collecting Earth materials and working with them to create jewelry and other works of art. Many people, especially those having larger displays, set up in the two “Commercial Buildings” on the fairgrounds, but quite a few set up outdoors under tents or canopies next to RV’s. Admission to the show was free, so anybody could attend for a leisurely afternoon of looking and shopping. As for “personality,” this show appeals to all levels and interests, but is generally a low-key event with most vendors offering items affordable to most anyone. Higher-end materials were also available, but the show is clearly not slanted mainly to very affluent shoppers.
The Commercial Buildings at Monroe County Fairgrounds.
View inside a Commercial Building. Look beyond the first wall in the distance to see the far end of the building.
Dozens of exhibitors/swappers set up outside. This year’s event was especially pleasant because the weather was unusually cool for the last weekend in June (temperatures hovered around 80 degrees F (roughly 27 degrees C) and it was not overly humid.
The outside exhibitor's area. The weather was wonderful!
This was my favorite sign at the show.
Several vendors offered geodes collected locally. Tables covered with fossils also featured Midwestern finds. Lots of fluorite and other Midwestern minerals were for sale, and there were even some higher-end mineral specimens for sale under the sun. There was also a large selection of jasper, agate, and similar materials for cutting, as well as finished jewelry.
Locally-collected geodes displayed on the grass.
Larger exhibits were on the inside.
Damian BelGali (striped shirt) displayed an incredible variety of semi-precious beads, gemstones, and jewelry, as well as marvelous mineral specimens and fossils.
Close-up showing Damian's impressive zeolite and vanadinite specimens and beads. A huge fossil ammonoid stands at the far right.
Bob Moorehead brought tools, supplies, and equipment to sell.
Display of tools and supplies for making jewelry.
Lapidary machinery Bob showed for sale.
Earth Energy tables were covered by flats of minerals from worldwide localities, and offered some good buys.
The "Earth Energy" display of mineral flats. (Don't worry--this was not "new age" mineral energy stuff!)
Midwest Minerals & Mining had literally hundreds of flats of minerals, especially from China and Mexico.
Stan Esbenshade (right) of Midwest Minerals & Mining was his usual friendly self.
Very impressive azurites from Mexico displayed by Stan. These azurite crystals are up to 10 cm in size.
Museum-grade specimens of stibnite from China, also offered by Stan.
Fine fossil specimens were available from various dealers, as were locally-collected fossils for beginners.
Gigantic trilobites and Illinois plant fossils for sale at the show.
All in all, I can recommend this show to most everyone interested in any aspects of the hobby. Don't miss next year's show. It makes for a really pleasant outing.
The Commercial Buildings at Monroe County Fairgrounds.
View inside a Commercial Building. Look beyond the first wall in the distance to see the far end of the building.
Dozens of exhibitors/swappers set up outside. This year’s event was especially pleasant because the weather was unusually cool for the last weekend in June (temperatures hovered around 80 degrees F (roughly 27 degrees C) and it was not overly humid.
The outside exhibitor's area. The weather was wonderful!
This was my favorite sign at the show.
Several vendors offered geodes collected locally. Tables covered with fossils also featured Midwestern finds. Lots of fluorite and other Midwestern minerals were for sale, and there were even some higher-end mineral specimens for sale under the sun. There was also a large selection of jasper, agate, and similar materials for cutting, as well as finished jewelry.
Locally-collected geodes displayed on the grass.
Larger exhibits were on the inside.
Damian BelGali (striped shirt) displayed an incredible variety of semi-precious beads, gemstones, and jewelry, as well as marvelous mineral specimens and fossils.
Close-up showing Damian's impressive zeolite and vanadinite specimens and beads. A huge fossil ammonoid stands at the far right.
Bob Moorehead brought tools, supplies, and equipment to sell.
Display of tools and supplies for making jewelry.
Lapidary machinery Bob showed for sale.
Earth Energy tables were covered by flats of minerals from worldwide localities, and offered some good buys.
The "Earth Energy" display of mineral flats. (Don't worry--this was not "new age" mineral energy stuff!)
Midwest Minerals & Mining had literally hundreds of flats of minerals, especially from China and Mexico.
Stan Esbenshade (right) of Midwest Minerals & Mining was his usual friendly self.
Very impressive azurites from Mexico displayed by Stan. These azurite crystals are up to 10 cm in size.
Museum-grade specimens of stibnite from China, also offered by Stan.
Fine fossil specimens were available from various dealers, as were locally-collected fossils for beginners.
Gigantic trilobites and Illinois plant fossils for sale at the show.
All in all, I can recommend this show to most everyone interested in any aspects of the hobby. Don't miss next year's show. It makes for a really pleasant outing.
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Comments
Great report; I have to get there next year. It looks as if a lot of good minerals show up at the show, expecially from the Midwest.
Best,
Joe
Joseph Polityka
27th Jun 2011 3:27pm
Best,
Joe
Joseph Polityka
27th Jun 2011 3:27pm
was a good show to bad i missed the FOM meeting but i got a few nice pieces best was from earth energys both
mike
Mike Royal
30th Jun 2011 11:20am
mike
Mike Royal
30th Jun 2011 11:20am
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