Denver Show 2007 - First Report

First report from the Denver Gem and Mineral Show, 2007

By Jolyon Ralph

I'm not sure if you appreciate the efforts I go to for you, but here I am again, in Denver, reporting for mindat.org on the Denver Gem and Mineral Show. I arrived today feeling tired after a two day journey and went straight to the show, took over 300 photos and then went out to enjoy a rather nice chicken pasta and several glasses of wine. As it's quite rare for me to drink alcohol and I am somewhat jetlagged (I could fall asleep right now), it's highly likely that this report will not be as interesting, informative and witty as my previous offerings. So, ignore my ramblings and look at the pretty pictures. Because I am here, and I am struggling to stay awake for one reason, to tell you that Collectors Edge, Kristalle and Crystal Classics were offering the first pieces from the famed Philadelphia Academy collection:

First in line was stand for Kristalle and Crystal Classics. Several cabinets and flats filled with classic material (and I am told there will be far more available in Tucson that hasn't been sorted through yet). Crystal Classics obtained the majority of the European material from the Academy sale, including some wonderful things such as these two european Cobaltites:

If primary sulphides aren't your thing, and you like more colourful secondary minerals, then how about this Wherryite with Diaboleite from Arizona:

In case you wanted to look it up, Wherryite is a Lead Copper Carbonate Sulphate with Chlorine, Hydroxide and Oxygen. This is from the type locality.

Or, if you like water-soluble copper minerals, this Krohnkite from the Chuquicamata Mine in Chile might be the one for you:

Not advised for those who live in humid climates!

I was pleased to see a small cornish classic - the famous 'horsetooth siderites' from Wheal Maudlin. This material is not common, it's rare to see one piece on sale, but here we saw three together! Read the Embrey and Symes book on the Minerals of Cornwall and Devon for the history of this particular form of Siderite - the belief is that all the pieces of this material on sale have come from a single pocket some time in the 1800s.

But the collector of the rare, the unusual and the downright weird would have been delighted to see an aesthetically interesting native Lead specimen from Sweden!

Next door, Collector's Edge had another batch of these specimens, with a more American feel, starting with this lovely Butte Enargite:

Not everything was flashy - the collection has plenty of lower-price interesting pieces, such as this selection of Wisconsin Galena crystals

I'll give you an update with some more of the Philadelphia minerals tomorrow - there are far too many for me to show you before I fall asleep! But before I go, it's important to mention that there is far more at the show than just the Philadelpha Academy collection - all the major dealers present had things of interest, and I will show more over the next two reports. But here are a couple of things that caught my eye today.

Firstly, a beautiful Australian Cuprite from Stu Wilensky (from the Red Dome Mine, Chillagoe, Queensland), about 3cm across:

And finally, this curious Erongo fluorite - from Rob Lavinsky

Ok, that's enough for one night, I have to be up at 8am to get ready for tomorrow's show. More from me tomorrow!

Jolyon