Welcome to a quick preview of the Tucson Show 2008. I write this inbetween packing, as I'll be heading off myself to Tucson on Friday to report back on mindat.org about everything that's happening in the biggest event in the worldwide mineral calendar.

The theme of the show this year is American Classics - so let's start off with a brand new American find that will not take long to be regarded as a classic in its own right - fabulous crystalline Pyrolusite from near Las Cruces, Luna Co., New Mexico -





These specimens collected by Roy Lee and Roy Jones will be offered for the first time at the main TGMS Show from Thursday 14th Feb onwards from Les Presmyk of De Natura - prices from $50.

Rob Lavinsky at The Arkenstone has some stunning large Spessartine crystals from Loliando, Tanzania - this one is about the size of a golf ball and Rob tells me it is very gemmy, sharp and undamaged all around.



And also, a find of new Wulfenite crystals on Mimetite from the Ojuela Mine, Mapimi, Mexico - this is a RECENT find - proving there are still exciting things to be found there.



These specimens, and more, will be offered at the Westward Look Show (8th - 11th Feb) and then at the TGMS show the following weekend.

Dan and Diana Weinrich, in cooperation with Dave Bunk, will be offering the bulk of the Minnette collection for the first time at the Main Show - specimens will be distributed between the two booths.

This is a very famous collection. Among other things it is noted for world class thumbnails and superb suites of minerals from Arizona, Tsumeb, Mexico, California and England.

Highlights include a large California Tourmaline specimen, an outstanding Tanzanite group, a large Alamosite from Tsumeb, probably the world's finest Veszeylite from Montana, Idaho Pyromorphite, African Rhodochrosite, a "killer" Graves Mountain Rutile, superb Calcite/Copper specimens from Michigan, Bisbee Azurite and Malachite, Tiger, Arizona minerals, etc.



Tom Corson from OBG International will be featuring a lot of high end Charlie Key African minerals (Erongo, Wessels, Kaokoveld, etc.) from a recently purchased collection. The prices range from $10 to over $2000. Tom will be exhibiting at the TGMS main show (14th-17th Feb), main floor 14 East.



Chris Wright of Wrights Rock Shop is already busy selling at Tucson - find him at Room 128, InnSuites (Feb 2nd-15th. 10:00am to 6:00pm). He has some new Chinese minerals, including Purple calcite from the Wuzhou Mine, Quang Xi ($200.00 up), Pyrite from Sichuan Province ($125.00 up) and some water-clear calcite crystals from Fujian Province.



Ian Bruce from Crystal Classics and Wayne and Dona Leicht from Kristalle are yet again teaming up to sell material from the famous Philadelphia Academy Collection (as first shown at the Denver show last year - see my report) - but they have not been sitting back since then, they now have the following new collections to disperse:

The collection of the late O. E. Stratton who mined in the Tucson area in the early 1900s - this collection ranges from really really ugly ore samples to some of the most beautiful Bisbee specimens seen, and the collection is filled with old maps, mining claims, journals, photos, deeds etc. from around the Tucson mining area.

The wonderful Lead minerals of Kimball Goddard, with superb cerussites, pyromorphites, andorites etc.

The inventory and personal collection of Gerald Clark (International Mineral Exchange). Over 100 flats of material from around the globe.

Selected specimens from five new European collections, including new specimens from Wolfgang Henkel.

Plus specimens from other collections we have acquired during the year such as the Steve Neely collection, and of course specimens from the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences Mineral Collection (both in conjunction with Collector's Edge.)

Catch them at the Westward Look Show, the Inn Suites show and the main TGMS show.



Don't forget, Lithographie LLC will be launching the book American Mineral Treasures at the TGMS show.

Containing contributions by Arlene Bentley, Bob Cook, Bob Jackson, Bob Jones, Bryan Lees, Carl Francis, Dan Kile, Dan Weinrich, Doug Toland, George Robinson, George Witters, Jesse Fisher, Ed Raines, Joe Kielbaso, John Marshall, Julian Gray, Jose Santamaria, Ken Carlsen, Lance Kearns, Les Presmyk, Marc Wilson, Mark Jacobson, Pete Knudsen, Janet Clifford, Paul Harter, Steve Neely, Terry Ledford, Tom Hanna, Van King, Wayne Leicht, Wayne Sorenson, Wayne Thompson and Wendell Wilson, with illustrations by Jeff Scovil, Wendell Wilson, Harold & Erica Van Pelt, John Smolski and Kevin Dixon.

The book is 360 pages (hardcover) and retails at $85.00 - Don't leave Tucson without your copy!

I hope to have my first report from the Westward Look Show online before the weekend is over. If you're going to Tucson make sure to find me - I'll be there until the end of the TGMS show.

---

In order to leave comments to this article, you must be registered