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Tucson Mineral Show
Going through the motels ten days later, there were many long faces. The uncertainties about Iraq and the world economy apparently kept many international buyers at home and American buyers cautious. Some dealers still hadn't been able to get their specimens by the end of the show and sat in nearly empty rooms. One Chinese dealer summed it up by saying "Iraq war good for George Bush and oil companies but very bad for mineral dealers." The convention center show opened to the usual crowds with displays of some of the best mineral specimens you'll ever see. Even here there more cases with lower quality specimens than usual. Some of these may well have been last minute additions because displays were withdrawn due to the hassle of getting your specimens to the show. Even so there were some spectacular displays, particularly of Andean minerals, the show theme this year. Given the mining history of the area, many of these were sulphides and ore minerals but there was a generous helping of the Japan Law quartz twins that have been particularly coming out the last few years. One plate was covered with quartz scepters, including a good-sized twin. There was also a case of the best of the Magaliesberg Mountains cactus quartz, including several spectacular twins. As long as I'm revealing my biases, the best case in the show was all quartz from the collection of Bill Larson and Gene and Roz Meieran. One of the best pieces in that case was a Denny Mountain, Washington amethyst plate. ©2004 - 2001 Evolving Earth Foundation. All rights reserved |
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