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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.

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.

While at the Springfield Show, we made plans to go mineral collecting in Trumbull, Conneticut with Jeremy Zolan (Mindat Regular). We were meeting him at Old Mine Park to see some of the now closed locations, and then go to a nearby construction site to see if we could collect some scheelite, pyrite, and clinozoisite.

Old Mine Plark was once an active tungsten mine, but has since been reclamated and turned into a public park. Collecting here is not allowed. Old Mine Plaza is known for its Wolframite pseudo Scheelite, Fluorite var. Chlorophane, Topaz, and Scheelite, amoung a host of other minerals.

However Jeremy brought some pieces along to show us that he aquired digging like a madman.

After checking out his rocks, Jeremy led Justin and I around, telling us about the location and what was found at various spots on the property.

Here is a gysum deposit.

Fluorite was dug out of this deep trench.

But who wants to look buT not touch? So we caravaned down the road to a nearby construction site that l he had been collecting at for years. Jeremy told us that we should be looking for clinozoisite, pyrite, and scheelite.

Safety first kids!

We all found plenty of scheelite, and Justin even found a quartz point.

After spending a fun afternoon in the sun, we all went to Three Brothers for lunch. Then we headed back on the road toward Maryland.

And here we are; part 2 of my 2007 East Coast Gem & Mineral Show pictures. I hope that everyone has as much fun looking at them, as I did running around the convention hall taking them.

Dan & Diana Weinrich is a favorite at both mineral shows and on the internet for years. They are known for having world class mineral specimens.

Just look at all the thumbnail specimens that Tony Nikischer (Excalibur Mineral Corp) has. He even brings a case of UV reactive minerals to mineral shows.

I had to visit Fred Wilda’s booth, and see his many paintings on display. While there are several artists that are currently painting minerals commercially, Fred is probably one of the more well known artists at the mineral shows.

One of the best things about attending mineral shows in different parts of the country is hanging out with our friends who don’t live nearby. During Springfield we had the chance to visit with our buddies Nick (left) & Dylan (right) Stolotwitz (Green Mountain Minerals).



Here are our new friends Dustin & Sara, seeing what awesome minerals Green Mountain Minerals has for sale.

Another one of our very good friends is Alfredo Petrov (Petrov Rare Minerals). Alfredo is known for having odd ball minerals, especially from Bolivia and Japan. However, he is camera shy, so I had to sneak a couple photos of him while he was busy.

This year Alfredo was sharing his booth with Diana & Wolfgang Mueller, of DiWolf Fine Stone Emporium. They specialize in hand cut cabachons and other items, made from exotic and mineral rich lapidary material.

Gunnar Farber is another one of our buddies. Here you see him with his vast selection of rare and ultra rare minerals.

The Collector’s Edge had a wonderful display of super fine minerals. They are allways a crowd favorite because of their wonderful selection and appealing booth display.

Here is James Brown of Hummingbird Minerals. This was his first year at the Springfield Show, and he already has a top notch display. And look at that apatite.

Isaias Casanova (IC Minerals), is known for his quality minerals at reasonable prices, but it is his cases full of colorful specimens that draw me over to the booth.

Last but not least, Inland Lapidary had a fine display of great lapidary tools and saws.

I found out that this sign was made by a 2 ladies that purchased tools from them. Next time you see these guys, make sure you ask them to show you the pictures they have of the proccess, it’s really interesting.

Justin’s Show Report