#TBT #TucsonGemShow 2014 Lecture Series at the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show Part 2

FEBRUARY 11th:  GAIL COPUS SPANN and 

MICHAEL LEYBOV and LUDMILA CHESHKO

OF THE MINERALOGICAL ALMANAC FROM MOSCOW 

In 2014 I was so busy with the introduction of two new shows that I wasn't able to get to the first two nights of the Lecture Series - but nothing was going to keep me from the last two.

I, and over 100 mineral enthusiasts braved the cool of the evening (there are heaters in the tent) because we were all looking forward to seeing the amazing Gail Copus Spann's talk...I think we were all just eager to see Gail following a very challenging year. 

7 P.M: GAIL COPUS SPANN

DALLAS, TEXAS, USA 

RENOWNED COLLECTOR OF FINE MINERALS

PRESENTS

“The Continuing Perspectives of A Woman Collector"

First up - Gail!

Gail talks on the thing she knows best - being a woman in the mineral collection world.  She is always so upbeat, straight forward and she engages the audience.

This night the tent was filled to capacity with at least another 20 people standing at the back.  

Everyone was excited to see Gail - she was greeted by John White and Dave Wilbur - quite the auspicious home coming...

She got right to the topic at hand.

SRO - it was a packed house!

 -----------------------------

7.45 P.M: MICHAEL LEYBOV and LUDMILA CHESHKO

OF THE MINERALOGICAL ALMANAC FROM MOSCOW RUSSIA

PRESENTS

“Celebrate 20 Years In Mineralogical Publishing”

-----------------------------

8.15 P.M: REFRESHMENTS SERVED

Maury and Aisha introduced Ludmilla and Michael for a really fun overview of the first 20 years of the Mineralogical Almanac - with a little help from his friends,

Bob Jones (of Rock & Gem) briefly took the floor to add some great personal stories - the lecture closed with a traditional Bread Sharing Ceremony...

A BIG Thank You to Maury Destouet the General Manager of the Riverpark Inn and the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show as well as the well connected and always polished Aisha Jan for assembling an amazing group of Experts for this Lecture Series.

From Aisha: "I have the honor and pleasure to select the guest speakers and to assist in the organization of these events. Our company Rocksaholics is a proud participant of this show."

...click through to see who they have scheduled for 2015!

Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show Announces 2014 Lecture Series....

THE PUEBLO GEM and MINERAL SHOW

January 31st - 12th 2014

At The Riverpark Inn, Tucson Arizona USA

Requests the Pleasure of your Company

At The Following Events 

To Be Held In 

THE INTERNATIONAL FINE MINERAL BUILDING

FEBRUARY 4th

7.00 P.M: STANLEY KEITH 

OF MAGMACHEM EXPLORATION ARIZONA, USA

PRESENTS

“New Ideas on the Origin of Oil: 

A Herkimer Diamond Case History from New York”

-----------------------------

7.30 P.M: JOLYON RALPH 

FOUNDER OF MINDAT.ORG

PRESENTS

“Mindat and Its Uses”

-----------------------------

8.00 P.M: REFRESHMENTS SERVED.

FEBRUARY 6th

7 P.M: JEFF SWANGER

OWNER/OPERATOR OCEANVIEW MINE PALA CALIFORNIA USA

PRESENTS

“Recent Workings at Chief Mountain”

-----------------------------

7.30 P.M. DR. DAVID LONDON

AUTHOR OF THE BOOK “PEGMATITES”

PROFESSOR AT THE SCHOOL OF GEOLOGY 

and GEOPHYSICS UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA USA

PRESENTS

“A Collectors Guide to Pegmatites and Their Minerals”

-----------------------------

8.00 P.M: REFRESHMENTS SERVED

FEBRUARY 10th

7 P.M: FEDERICO BARLOCHER

INTERNATIONAL VIDEOGRAPHER 

FROM MILAN ITALY AND A PROMINENT 

DEALER OF HIGH QUALITY UNHEATED 

BURMESE GEMS 

PRESENTS

“Mogok Myanmar (Burma): 

A secret overview of the most famous 

mining area for colored stones in the history of gems”

-----------------------------

7:45 P.M: DR. FEDERICO PEZZOTTA, PH.D. 

PETROLOGISTS, MINEROLOGY MUSEUM CURATOR, 

MUSEO di STORIA NATURALE, MILANO, ITALY

PRESENTS
" Color Zoning in multicolored gem Tourmaline"

8:15 P.M: REFRESHMENTS SERVED

FEBRUARY 11th

7 P.M: GAIL COPUS SPANN

DALLAS, TEXAS, USA 

RENOWNED COLLECTOR OF FINE MINERALS

PRESENTS

“The Continuing Perspectives of A Woman Collector"

-----------------------------

7.45 P.M: MICHAEL LEYBOV and LUDMILA CHESHKO

OF THE MINERALOGICAL ALMANAC FROM MOSCOW RUSSIA

PRESENTS

“Celebrate 20 Years In Mineralogical Publishing”

-----------------------------

8.15 P.M: REFRESHMENTS SERVED

Thanks to Maury Destouet the General Manager of the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show and the always polished Aisha Jan for assembling an amazing group of Experts for this Lecture Series.

"I have the honor and pleasure to select the guest speakers and to assist in the organization of these events. Our company Rocksaholics is a proud participant of this show."

Photo Credit: 
Herkimer Diamond via the Crystal Concentric Blog  http://crystalconcentric.wordpress.com/
Pegmatite and Barlocher photos from their Facebook pages 
Gail's mineral photo from the "Gail's Collection" Gallery on the Fabre Mineral Forum

#TGS - The Jim & Gail Spann Collection

I started the day out running over to pick up Roni & Margo - two women I had met through the International School of Gemology (ISG) Forum...and we were off!

The Westward Look Resort is a luxury community nestled in the foothills of the Tucson landscape - arranged in small pueblo type groups of six suites it is everything you expect from a southwest resort.

As you entered the show there were 4 or 5 groups of six suites filled with glorious examples of mineral growths in every form and some that I have never seen or imagined!

So it was a fitting site for the elegant mineral collection of Jim & Gail Spann. Each year this show seperates a specific collection and puts it on view in their lobby - for 2009 this honor went to the Spanns.

When we arrived we took a look at the various vendors displays as we had heard that you couldn't even get close enough to view the collection in the Lobby.

I don't think that there was a single room that we walked into that one of us didn't utter an exclamation or say - I didn't know it grew like that!!! Beautiful fuzzy Malachite and naturally etched Aquamarine, a Sphalerite that was bigger than a serving tray and minerals we have never heard of.

While the vendors in most of the suites were busy or had decided that this group of three women were "not buyers", Bill Larsen's son in the Pala International Suite was chatty and very helpful. I was missing his father's talk on famous Collectors to be at this show - so his friendliness made an impression on me. You can find Pala International at http://palagems.com/ and their items for sale at http://www.collectorfinejewelry.com/minerals.htm (while you are there subscribe to their newsletter it is full of great information and some of the finest gems and minerals).

There was also a lovely woman selling meteorite that spent quite a while with us discussing the various locales of the crystal bearing meteorite - unfortunately I didn't get her card - maybe Roni or Marge will leave a comment with her contact info.

We jumped on the shuttle around 1pm to check out the lobby but when we got there the crush around the Spann's cases was 5 people deep so we had lunch in "GOLD" the restaurant off the Lobby. We ate on the balconey, the food was great and what a view you could see across the entire city of Tucson!

We made our way back to the Lobby for what was in my opinion - the show-stopper!!!!

As we approached Gail was trying her hardest to get photos of the amazing group of people viewing the display (the crush was still 3-4 people deep). All the "Who's Who" of the Mineral World were there. Dave Wilbur was there trying to get film for the Blue Cap Production of "What's Hot in Tucson!"

I have to say that no matter how busy Gail was, she took the time talk with us. Gail has probably single handedly done more to encouraged the growth of "Women in Minerology" than any other single person. Her enthusiasm is contagious and she has along with Jim amassed one of the finest collections in the country.

The items on display here in Tucson were some of the rarer pieces - I want to introduce you to some of the really beautiful items that we discovered here:

Malachite in a Crystal habit that I have NEVER seen - an amazing Red Quartz - Metatorbernite a secondary mineral in weathering uranium-bearing deposits and Erythrite a glorious deep magenta crystal.

If you missed the show and would like to see the Spann Collection - take a minute to register for the Fabre Mineral Forum (http://www.fabreminerals.com/) and check out the topic Gail's Collection - she is patient and takes the time to talk to and encourage new collectors!