Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, University of Arizona ... another year, another pilgrimage to this great institution of dendrochronology.  The facility alone is worth a visit, and docent-led tours are available.  It's not hard to find the building on campus due to its unique styling.  While the Laboratory of Tree Ring Research has been at U of A since 1937 when it was established by A.E. Douglass, founder of the modern science of dendrochronology, this new building was just opened in 2013.  The building it replaced (called Math East) is shown beside it.  Much as we would like to see "historic buildings" retained and restored, there is not much question what was the right choice here.

Many visitor-scientists contribute to the research here.  The Laboratory makes significant contributions to understanding natural environmental variability in climatic, hydrologic, geomorphic, and ecological systems.
   




​The Mineral and Fossil Coop houses 13 dealers, many of whom have been at this venue for decades, which is no small accomplishment in Tucson.  The format of a dealer-owned space is now coming into its own in Tucson, as many dealers find themselves out of a venue due to shows closing and moving.  But if one is a co-owner, your space is not only reserved but is permanently set up!

So much of what is offered in this venue is museum-quality fossil art objects.  Extraordinarily beautiful and exceptionally pricey.  But who wouldn't want to browse through this show to witness the grandeur of it all?

GeoWorld and GeoDecor are currently showing the items you see on the right.  Wow.  
   


​   Russell-Zuhl continues to amaze with their super-sized petrified wood slabs and tables.

Our personal choice is the table at the bottom.  We guessed its size to be about 6' x 8' (too large for our small home).  The "list price" is $150,000
   

​   Mineral Habit show on the east side of Oracle -- yet another set of dealers that have moved to this area of Tucson.  We would have to describe the buildings as ramshackle, but inside these two old industrial buildings are some dealers with very fine stuff.

Note the price on the green Hampton Butte end cut (or Zimbabwe?) -- which is approximately 5" in diameter and about 2" long -- a whopping $1500.  We were not buyers.  
   


​   Norcross Madagascar has a huge permanent showroom on the east side of Oracle as well.  But we had to laugh at this sign.  The price is (apparently) not the price.  

   

​   The American Gem Trade Association wholesale show is a spectacular display of faceted stones, cabochons, carvings and works of lapidary art. 

A special treat this year was sharing another visit with the Heher's, who own the Rare Earth Mining Company.  At their booth we viewed gold plated magnetite in nephrite jade cabochons.  The rough material (not the gold!) was mined by Jim during his university days in the 1960's, and continues to be a rather nostalgic item of interest -- even though not at all related to petrified wood.  The material is really striking whether it is the original silver of magnetite or whether the magnetite has been plated with gold.  Bill Heher told us that he learned the technique of gold-plating the magnetite on a visit to Idar-Oberstein in 1981.

The Smithsonian display this year highlighted a magnificent 501-carat faceted kunzite with simply amazing color, and a fiery raw Ethiopian opal approximately 4" wide -- both donations to that hallowed museum. 

 


   JOGS, a strictly wholesale show, hosts hundreds of jewelry and findings sellers, as well as their usual assortment of items for the decorative market.  As Jim always says, "You know a rock is abundant when you see tables, ashtrays, and bathtubs made from it."  This year we will need to add pink flamingos carved from onyx to that list.  
​   LGF Foundation Collection by Mike Fleeman.  We took a day to drive to Scottsdale (near Phoenix) and spend an afternoon with collector Mike Fleeman who has been working ardently for at least ten years to get the city of Phoenix on board to develop a Natural History museum (note that Phoenix is one of the very few USA cities without any natural history museum at all). He has acquired a massive, amazing collection of petrified wood, vertebrate and invertebrate fossils, meterorites, minerals and very ancient European and African human tools and artifacts.  To say the least, his collections are superb and we would need to struggle to find any single piece that would not be welcome in any advanced collector's cabinet.



One of the best parts of the Tucson Show is reconnecting with friends and fellow collectors.  Here we are with friends from Fort Collins, Colorado, at a favorite restaurant in Tucson, Beyond Bread.  Good food and lively discussions!
Left to right:  Dave Cooper, Jo Waldo, Beth, Jim, Mike Viney
   


   And yet another year at the famed Tucson Shows comes to an end with the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society club show at the Convention Center.  It is truly like walking into a jewel museum.  So many incredible display cases from museums around the globe -- this year with the theme "World Class Minerals."  That is a bit of a redundancy though, since every year there are world-class minerals on display (and for sale) here.  It is a privilege to witness the spectacle of it all -- and to know that there are well-heeled museums and private collectors who are interested in sharing their treasures with all of us.  

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Heading home through the vast Mojave Desert after another incredible show in Tucson ...