FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Ed Huskinson]

Yes Carles, just for you I will move that specimen (the Los Lamentos wulfenite) to the forefront for photographing. It is a wonderful rock, and I have enjoyed my stewardship of the piece. It gives me such pleasure to see it each time I go into the Mineral Room to look around, or to bond with newer acquisitions, or just to lower my blood pressure.

Thanks for the response.

Ed

[Tobi]

Hi Ed,

concerning the Galena: Thank you - my eyes are not especially good, but these Galenas from Neudorf are famous and distinctive. They are in my opinion among the greatest mineral classics ever. Your specimen looks very nice, though i can't believe what you said about the scratching tests and the blowpipe ... oh no :-(

And yes - the matrix is Siderite. Looking forward to see a better photo of the specimen!

[Peter]

Dear Ed
Thank you for your kind answer. I also have special interest in curating, especially so to keep original information with each specimen. I have many times found that this information is not treasured by many collectors and dealers and thus only after serious inquieries I have traced the way back of many pieces. I am at the stage where I am considering to make tiny labels with mineral, locality to attach to each specimen in a spot where it does not disturb or cover any important features (i.e. base, backside etc). With modern printing labels can be mad every tiny). Rock Currier of Jewel Tunnel imports has developed a program for mineral collections where this is one of the features.
Peter

[Tony L. Potucek]

Congrats, Eduardo! You hit the big time! And, I never thought that you would ever, ever be able to get any more specimens into your cases, but you did it! That's an impressive mineralogical shoehorn you've got, Pard. I see some specimens in there that I fondly remember.....


Good luck--sounds like you're plowing the fields at Gold Basin? I found some of the most robust rattlesnakes in that district. I missed the wire gold and wulfenite. Turning up any good artifacts? I found PVC pipe underground!

best regards, Amigo.

[Ed Huskinson]

Yeah, well, I figure that what I display in my own mineral room is just that, My Own. Of course, when competing, it all changes. Then everything is spaced nicely, and the labels in the back are a little larger than the labels in the front, that sort of thing. Here's another photo of a shelf on the north wall, taken just a little west of the previous posted pic.

And when I post pictures of the fluorite suite, you can bet that your CaF2 from the Mex Tex, the one that you collected in 1970 or 1971 will be one of the first ones up. I display it with pride.

Anyway, I fill the shelves with the rocks, shovel 'em in there, just to be able to look at them. Labels get in the way and block light to the shelves below. I figure I can get away with this because I have system whereby the locality for each piece is affixed to the underside of the specimen. It's too easy for a label to become separated from a mineral and then it can be difficult to verify the provenance of the piece. Location, location, location. There's always some clever fella out there who will be able to identify the mineral, and usually the place of origin. But not always. So, this is why I consider the locality to be the singlemost important thing to affix permanently to the specimen.

BTW, I'm actually plowing the auriferous vineyards across the hwy from Gold Basin, west of 93, right behind Rosie's Den. No artifacts yet, but yes, large rattlesnakes, and I've heard that there's a substantial den of them at the Van Deemen, and that they are Mohave Greens. Of course I'll be one down in the hole mapping when they make their presence known. I'm even thinking of investing in some of those shin guard thingies that they sell out of Miner's Supply in Riggins.

Ah heck, here're a couple of photos of your CaF2. Please elaborate on it for the benefit of everyone else who looks at it/them.

Thanks,

Ed

[Tobi]

But the Galena is still impressive. Well, all of your specimens look impressive, a great collection! And (to proof my eye again) is this a Sulphur from Sicily on the right? I love them and i'm still searching for such a great display specimen of Italian Sulphur - but they're very rare (and very expensive ...) Please post more pics with some detail shots of the specimens!

[Peter]

Lovely San Fransisco Mine wulfenite and Mimetite too!

[Ed Huskinson]

Thanks Peter. Film at eleven....

[Peter Megaw]

Hey Ed: Ran across this in a box of rocks stashed away from my time in Austin. Did it come from that mineral garage sale you had?

[Peter Megaw]

Anybody know who the photoshop mechanic is who puts these things together? I've received about 5 of them over the last 2-3 years?

[Ed Huskinson]

No Pete, I got nuttin'. I would have remembered the wulfenite, so it didn't pass through my hands, regardless of authenticity. As for the photoshop thing, again, I got nuttin'.

Hasta la later,

Ed

[Carles Millan]

To Peter Megaw

Hi Peter:

Please, could you post the size of your 'diopotasaconmimetita sobre wulfenita.jpg'?

I think the specimen is very nice, I like it, but the size is an important information to take into account as well.

Thanks,

[Peter Megaw]

Ed, I'm certain you would never have let go of a San Francisco like that...

Carlos, Given the fact that it is largely complete, I doubt it is larger than a small minature. The dioptases photo-shopped on are probably 4-6mm

[Ed Huskinson]

OK everybody. Here are a few more specimens, the ones I said I would photograph for you. After the two galena shots, there's an isolated view of the wulfenite from Los Lamentos in Chihuahua, Mexico. The big crystal on top is exactly 29mm on edge. Specimen width is 63mm. And there's a shot of the backside, showing the label affixed thereto, indicating that the specimen is from Los Lamentos, acquired from Benny Fenn. It was my big acquisition in 1983.

[Tobi]

Hello Ed,

the galena is still a wonderful sample from Neudorf, this little damage is really not worth complaining. And it's just amazing how this single crystals sits atop the siderite matrix. Is the crystal repaired (fixed to the matrix)? However, it's just a great specimen!

If you like these galenas from Neudorf, you should visit the mineral museum of my hometown, there are several superb specimens in large cabinet size completely covered with perfect crystals up to 30 mm ... mineral paradise :-)

And concerning the Los Lamentos wulfenite: I can't believe that this one is real - incredible and simply stunning!

[Barry Flannery]

Hi Ed,

I'd love to see the galena you have from Mogul Mine, Co.Tippearary if you can arrange a photograph?

Thanks and all the best from Ireland,

Barry

[jimB]

HI Peter,
Why did you break the linarite off ?

[Andreas Gerstenberg]

Hi,

Really, the galena is not bad at all. I´m still looking for one I can effort. And I like your labels too. Personally I do have these oldschool labels in my collection but all handmade ("Fraktur" type).

Anyway, thanks for showing. Do you have other german minerals in your collection? If so - please show...

Andreas

[Ed Huskinson]

Thanks Andreas, and welcome to FMF. I appreciate your comments on the Neudorf galena. Oh, and I very much appreciate that you included 3 or 4 fluorites from German localities in your earlier post on your collection. Thanks for that as well.

I have a few other German pieces. Will photograph them and post them later this afternoon, after I shoot and post a few smithsonites for that thread..

And Barry- no, I no longer own the Mogul Mine galena. It was nice. Bright and shiny, but small. It went to a good home in a trade with another collector, and I neglected to photograph it. Sometimes I have trader's remorse over the deal, but given the extraordinary nature of the devit balls that I got in exchange, the regret diminishes.

Thanks for your interest.

Ed

[Jason]

That wulf from los lamentos is just outstanding...fantastc, Ed!