When we were in Springfield Show, Rob Lavinksy (The Arkenstone) asked us to come to a private showing luncheon that he was having the following weekend in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. We knew that it would be a great oppurtunity to get to spend a little more time with some of the East Coast mineral collecting community, so of course we had to drop by and film. Justin also thought it would give him a chance to pick some of the old timer’s brains for potential locations to go collecting.
We love to meet people who use The-Vug!
John Sinkankas painted this specimen of blue Tourmaline for one of his books.. Here you see the book, the specimen, and a line sketch by John Sinkankas himself.
Justin got plenty of great footage to put on The-Vug Films Page. There are 4 videos from that day, one for each case, on that page, so if you haven’t looked out them yet, please take a moment to.
It was great to be able to sit down and talk with legendary Dave Wilbur.
Looks like James Zigras is at it again, wheeling and dealing!
To see more pictures from this event, check out Justin’s article on The-Vug.com
While at the luncheon, we meet Steven Kuitems DMD, and his son. He runs family dentistry practice in Basking Rdige, and is a long time New Jersey field collector. After speaking with them, Steven offered to show us around a nearby carnelian collecting location. So after filling up on goodies and converation, we bid everyone good-bye.
About 15 minutes away, near Dealaman Pond, at the Warren Trail head, we reconveined.
We followed single file, back into a wooded, marshy area, with a creek running through it.
Once we arrived, at the creek bed, Steven showed us the technique for finding the carnelian. He said to us a metal pole and poke around the loose gravel and mud listening for a clinking sound of the metal against the agate.
Justin found some really good pieces looking through the piles of roack at the side of the creek beds.
By this time it was starting to get late, but we figured that we would ahve enough time to stop at Ringing Rocks on the way back to Mayrland. While driving back a country road, we spotted an old barn with hex signs on it.
Ringing Rocks State Park is in Bucks County Pennsylvannia. It is nothing more than a feild of gray, non descript rocks, some of which ring like a bell when hit with a hammer.
We got there right the sun was setting, so there was no time to waste. We quickly walked down the path, and out to the rock field.
You look for the rocks that have obvious worn marks. These spots are where you hit the rock in order to make the sound.
