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Arizona Mineral and Fossil Show, Hotel Tucson City Center (formerly known as Inn Suites). This venerated show continues to impress with dealers on both levels of the sprawling hotel grounds. The big talk this year, by dealers and customers is the lack of parking. In front of the hotel is an expansive gravel/dirt parking lot, which has been utilized (leased) by the show promoter for years. But this year, the owner (UHaul) had decided to build on the space, leaving thousands of customers with only the band around the hotel to park their trucks, cars, vans and RV's. There are some satellite parking lots within a mile walk, and there is a shuttle, but none of those are well mapped or organized this year. It will be interesting to see how many dealers decide that the lack of parking hurt their business this year. So many shows here are expanding, and there are new shows opening, so ... Tucson is continually in flux.
William Rose, (shown with Jim) along with his father Bill, runs the Ginkgo Gem Shop in Vantage. As usual, he had some incredible large slabs on display outside of his room. And there is a lot of large material on display everywhere in this town, as you can see from some of these pics! Note the huge sphere. A toast was held on the evening of January 29 for Dennis Murphy, who died in November. He and his wife Mary have been selling petrified wood in Tucson for 35 years, and now the reins have passed to their son, Mike. RIP, Dennis. |
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Pueblo Gem and Mineral Show at Riverpark. This show (or set of shows) has been taking place for 35 years. It is truly a hodgepodge of jewelry, minerals, fossils, metaphysical healing, and maybe a few pieces of petrified wood.
We will never get accustomed to the scale of items that are brought to Tucson. At no other show from Denver to Munich to Ste. Marie, does one see such huge specimens in so many different places. Great banner ad for the Munich show! |
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JGM (Jewelry Gem and Minerals, I think) on I-10 Freeway. Not our kind of thing at this show, but we thought you would like to see the uncomfortable chair. It's always a sure sign of abundance of the material (Brazilian agate in the case of the chair) when one sees furniture carved from it. The chair has evidently been sold.
And you've heard us before on this subject: when will the supply of amethyst "cathedrals" be exhausted? |
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Advertisement for the China Show. We continue to see many more dealers and buyers here from Asia.
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JOGS (Gem and Jewelry Show), Irvington Road near I-10 freeway, south of downtown Tucson. This is primarily a jewelry show now, with vendors from 26 countries. Over the years, there are occasional gem and mineral artists that set up here, but this year -- all jewelry, beads, decorative arts, stones, and metaphysical dealers.
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Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at University of Arizona, Tucson. No visit to Tucson would be complete for us without a stop at the Tree-Ring Research Lab. Chris Baisin, Research Specialist, is a great guy from whom to learn about the important research going on at the Lab.
From their website: In 1937, the scientific study of tree-rings in America was formalized by the creation of the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research (LTRR) here at the University of Arizona in Tucson. By that time, founder Andrew Ellicott Douglass had been working with wood for over 30 years, and so the tradition of dendrochronology here in Tucson is older than the Lab itself. |
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The American Gem Trade Association, AGTA, is a show of sparkly faceted stones and jewelry. Beautiful to see, but more of interest to us is the exhibit by the Smithsonian Institution, which always offers a booth that highlights some special pieces in their collection (the Marjorie Post emerald necklace made by Cartier, for example) and some donated specimens from several of the AGTA member-dealers.
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The Tucson Gem and Mineral Club Show at the Convention Center is the finale show of Tucson.
Only a handful of dealers at this show have any petrified wood or fossils for sale. Steven Wolfe's huge booth (shown top right) has only a small section of wood. This is a sad trend, as he was one of the ones with much fantastic petrified wood in the "good old days"! Museums around the world exhibited "crystal and crystal forms" at the main show this year. What a treat to see! While not much wood, Kristalle did have a fabulous case of gorgeous agates on display from their personal collection. That's it for us for the 2018 Tuscon experience! Thanks for coming along with us ... We hope to see you here on MillsGeological.com many times after we return! Beth and Jim |
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List of Promoted Tucson Shows 2018
Winter, 2018 (open to public unless otherwise noted)
Year-round, Gem and Bead Mall, 2901 S. 4th Ave.
1/16-2/10, A Bead Carnival, 3301 E. Pennsylvania St.
1/19-2/12, Madagascar Minerals Gem Show, 201 W. Lester St.
1/20-2/10, Granada Gallery, 338 N. Granada at St. Marys
1/21-2/11, Arizona Independent Warehouse Show, 1500 E Apache Park Place, Businesses only
1/24-2/14, 1801 Oracle Mineral, Gem & Fossil Show, 1801 N. Oracle
1/24-2/11, 1820 Oracle Wholesale Show, 1835-1893 N. 11th Ave., Wholesale only
1/24-2/11, Executive Inn Mineral & Fossil Shows, 333 W. Drachman
1/24-2/12, Kent's Tools Jewelry and Lapidary Tool & Supply Show, 2745 N. 1st Ave.
1/24-2/10, La Fuente de Piedras Mineral Show, 1735 N. Oracle
1/25-2/11, 22nd Street Mineral Fossil & Gem Show, NW corner of 22nd St. and I-10
1/25-2/5, JOGS Gem & Jewelry Main Show, Tucson Expo Center, 3750 E. Irvington Rd.
1/25/27, Pop-Up Glass Gallery, 4D Glassblowers, 610 S. Park Ave.
1/25-2/7, SRGJ Shows, Silk Road Gem & Jewelry Show, Grand Luxe Hotel, 1365 W. Grant Rd. at I-10
1/25-28, Tucson Gem & Jam, Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S. Houghton Rd.
1/26-2/5, America's Best Value Inn Show, 810 E. Benson Hwy.
1/26-2/10, GIGM Show, Globex Gem & Mineral Show, Red Lion Inn, 222 S. Freeway Rd.
1/26-2/10, GIGM Show, Howard Johnson Gem & Mineral Show, 1010 S. Freeway Rd.
1/26-2/10, GIGM Show, Quality Inn, 750 W. Starr Pass Blvd.
1/26-2/11, Granada Ave. Mineral Show, 350 N. Granada at St. Marys
1/26-2/11, Kino Gem & Mineral Show, Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E. Ajo Way
1/26-2/11, Miners Co-op Rock Show, 6901 N. Casa Grande Hwy, Marana
1/26-2/11, Mineral & Fossil Co-op, 1635 N. Oracle Rd., Wholesale and Public
1/26-2/7, Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show, Riverpark Inn, 350 S. Freeway
1/26-2/11, Rapa River Gem & Mineral Show, 292 S. Freeway Ave.
1/26-2/11, Tucson Showplace, 1530 S. Freeway Ave.
1/27-2/11, African Art Village, 1134 S. Farmington Rd.
1/27-2/10, Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show, 475 N. Granada Ave. at St. Marys
1/27-2/10, Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show, Ramada Inn, 665 N. Freeway Ave.
1/27-2/10, Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show and Marketplace, 1333 N. Oracle Rd.
1/27-2/10, Fine Minerals International, 450 N. Granada at St. Marys
1/27-2/7, G&LW Gem Mall, 4475 S. Country Club Rd. at Michigan Ave., Wholesale only
1/27-2/4, G&LW Holidome, 4475 S. Palo Verde Rd., Wholesale only
1/27-2/11, JG&M Expo, 3300 Michigan St. next to Holidome
1/27-2/11, JG&M Expo, 601 W. Simpson St. on westbound frontage road
1/27-2/11, The Rock Show, Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E. Ajo Way
1/27-2/3, To Bead True Blue, Doubletree Hotel, 445 S. Alvernon Way
1/27-2/3, Tucson Bead Show, Casino Del Sol, 5655 West Valencia Rd.
1/28-2/11, American Indian Exposition, Flamingo Hotel, 1300 N. Stone Ave.
1/28-30, Oracle Road Just Mineral Event, Elks Lodge 385, 1800 N. Oracle Rd.
1/28-2/11, Main Ave. Gem Show, 1202 N. Main Ave. at Drachman
1/28-2/11,Tucson/Lazydays KOA Gem & Craft Fair, 5151 S. Country Club
1/29-2/3, Art Retreat in the Desert, Hilton Tucson East, 7600 E. Broadway
1/29-2/3, The Best Bead Show, Kino Veteran's Memorial Community Center, 2805 E. Ajo Way
1/29, Tucson Store Fixtures Fine Mineral Wholesale Show, 500 W. Grant
1/30-2/4, A.G.T.A. GemFair, Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church, Wholesale only
1/30-2/4, GJX Gem & Jewelry Show, GJX Pavilion, 198 S. Granada Ave. at Congress, Wholesale only
1/30-2/5, Tucson's New Mineral Show, 1102 W. Grant Rd., in former Slaughterhouse
1/31-2/3, JCK Tucson, JW Starr Pass Marriot, 3800 W. Starr Pass Blvd., Wholesale only
2/2-5, Westward Look Mineral Show, Westward Look Resort, 245 E. Ina Rd.
2/8-11, Tucson Gem & Mineral Show (Main Show), Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Avenue
Winter, 2018 (open to public unless otherwise noted)
Year-round, Gem and Bead Mall, 2901 S. 4th Ave.
1/16-2/10, A Bead Carnival, 3301 E. Pennsylvania St.
1/19-2/12, Madagascar Minerals Gem Show, 201 W. Lester St.
1/20-2/10, Granada Gallery, 338 N. Granada at St. Marys
1/21-2/11, Arizona Independent Warehouse Show, 1500 E Apache Park Place, Businesses only
1/24-2/14, 1801 Oracle Mineral, Gem & Fossil Show, 1801 N. Oracle
1/24-2/11, 1820 Oracle Wholesale Show, 1835-1893 N. 11th Ave., Wholesale only
1/24-2/11, Executive Inn Mineral & Fossil Shows, 333 W. Drachman
1/24-2/12, Kent's Tools Jewelry and Lapidary Tool & Supply Show, 2745 N. 1st Ave.
1/24-2/10, La Fuente de Piedras Mineral Show, 1735 N. Oracle
1/25-2/11, 22nd Street Mineral Fossil & Gem Show, NW corner of 22nd St. and I-10
1/25-2/5, JOGS Gem & Jewelry Main Show, Tucson Expo Center, 3750 E. Irvington Rd.
1/25/27, Pop-Up Glass Gallery, 4D Glassblowers, 610 S. Park Ave.
1/25-2/7, SRGJ Shows, Silk Road Gem & Jewelry Show, Grand Luxe Hotel, 1365 W. Grant Rd. at I-10
1/25-28, Tucson Gem & Jam, Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S. Houghton Rd.
1/26-2/5, America's Best Value Inn Show, 810 E. Benson Hwy.
1/26-2/10, GIGM Show, Globex Gem & Mineral Show, Red Lion Inn, 222 S. Freeway Rd.
1/26-2/10, GIGM Show, Howard Johnson Gem & Mineral Show, 1010 S. Freeway Rd.
1/26-2/10, GIGM Show, Quality Inn, 750 W. Starr Pass Blvd.
1/26-2/11, Granada Ave. Mineral Show, 350 N. Granada at St. Marys
1/26-2/11, Kino Gem & Mineral Show, Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E. Ajo Way
1/26-2/11, Miners Co-op Rock Show, 6901 N. Casa Grande Hwy, Marana
1/26-2/11, Mineral & Fossil Co-op, 1635 N. Oracle Rd., Wholesale and Public
1/26-2/7, Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show, Riverpark Inn, 350 S. Freeway
1/26-2/11, Rapa River Gem & Mineral Show, 292 S. Freeway Ave.
1/26-2/11, Tucson Showplace, 1530 S. Freeway Ave.
1/27-2/11, African Art Village, 1134 S. Farmington Rd.
1/27-2/10, Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show, 475 N. Granada Ave. at St. Marys
1/27-2/10, Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show, Ramada Inn, 665 N. Freeway Ave.
1/27-2/10, Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show and Marketplace, 1333 N. Oracle Rd.
1/27-2/10, Fine Minerals International, 450 N. Granada at St. Marys
1/27-2/7, G&LW Gem Mall, 4475 S. Country Club Rd. at Michigan Ave., Wholesale only
1/27-2/4, G&LW Holidome, 4475 S. Palo Verde Rd., Wholesale only
1/27-2/11, JG&M Expo, 3300 Michigan St. next to Holidome
1/27-2/11, JG&M Expo, 601 W. Simpson St. on westbound frontage road
1/27-2/11, The Rock Show, Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E. Ajo Way
1/27-2/3, To Bead True Blue, Doubletree Hotel, 445 S. Alvernon Way
1/27-2/3, Tucson Bead Show, Casino Del Sol, 5655 West Valencia Rd.
1/28-2/11, American Indian Exposition, Flamingo Hotel, 1300 N. Stone Ave.
1/28-30, Oracle Road Just Mineral Event, Elks Lodge 385, 1800 N. Oracle Rd.
1/28-2/11, Main Ave. Gem Show, 1202 N. Main Ave. at Drachman
1/28-2/11,Tucson/Lazydays KOA Gem & Craft Fair, 5151 S. Country Club
1/29-2/3, Art Retreat in the Desert, Hilton Tucson East, 7600 E. Broadway
1/29-2/3, The Best Bead Show, Kino Veteran's Memorial Community Center, 2805 E. Ajo Way
1/29, Tucson Store Fixtures Fine Mineral Wholesale Show, 500 W. Grant
1/30-2/4, A.G.T.A. GemFair, Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church, Wholesale only
1/30-2/4, GJX Gem & Jewelry Show, GJX Pavilion, 198 S. Granada Ave. at Congress, Wholesale only
1/30-2/5, Tucson's New Mineral Show, 1102 W. Grant Rd., in former Slaughterhouse
1/31-2/3, JCK Tucson, JW Starr Pass Marriot, 3800 W. Starr Pass Blvd., Wholesale only
2/2-5, Westward Look Mineral Show, Westward Look Resort, 245 E. Ina Rd.
2/8-11, Tucson Gem & Mineral Show (Main Show), Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Avenue