FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Tobi]

I don't know how the Barytes from Cabrières look like - why don't you show it in your collection thread?

@Carles: Thank you!

[parfaitelumiere]

In fact I have this specimen,but it's not in my collection,because of size,too big...
But when I looked ot yours from Germany,it has made me think of Cabrières!
I will take a shot to show it to you!

[Tobi]

The problem with the size, i know: I had another Baryte from Dreislar, with a size of 300 x 300 x 200 mm. And you know that Baryte is heavy ... It was just too big and to heavy for the display, so i sold it and kept the smaller one, which has much better quality than the giant specimen.

The next specimen from my collection is not really too big for a display ;-) A Pyrite twin in clay/marl (?) matrix from a quarry named Maibolte near Lemgo/North-Rhine-Westphalia. This kind of twin crystal is called Eisernes Kreuz (iron cross) in German. I don't know if this is analogue in other languages ...? The tiny Pyrite twin has a size of 5 mm, overall size of the specimen is 40 x 30 x 12 mm.

This Pyrites from Westphalia are a little bit similiar to the Spanish ones from Ambasaguas, aren't they? (Though the Spanish ones are often bigger, because these German ones are not often bigger than 6 or 7 mm ...).

[Tobi]

The next specimen is a Magnetite from Cerro Huañaquino, Bolivia. I know that this material became quite common in the past years, but the most samples i see on shows are small and have even smaller crystals. This one has a few broken crystals, but it is covered over and over with other, intact crystals and it looks impressive because of its size: 155 x 120 x 40 mm, longest crystal egde 10 mm.

[Tobi]

A small but aesthetic specimen of Schorl from from Baltistan, Pakistan. The crystal has a lenght of 10 mm, overall size of the specimen is 30 x 30 x 15 mm.

[Tobi]

I think a collection photo thread is not complete without some pictures of the entire displays. Ed showed some wide shots of his displays, Gail did it before. I would like to see how your collections are arranged: How do your showcases look, where are they placed, which light do you use, how full are the displays^^

Here are some impressions from my collection: I have two 100 x 100 cm ash wood hanging displays, each one with four levels. First a wider shot of the two displays:

[Tobi]

This is the left one, filled with Vanadinite, Garnets, Fluorites, Calcites and much more ...

[Tobi]

And the other one, including Indian Zeolites, Tourmalines, some iron ores and Quartz - and some more.

If you wonder about the open books on the bottom level: The front glass has a metal frame which disturbs the sight on this level. The minerals that is first placed there were not perfectly in sight, so i decided to fill this level with some bigger things. They even work as a kind of information table and they add a bit of "museum touch" to the displays ... ;-)

[parfaitelumiere]

Your collection is really well displayed,simply and well organised.
Do you think it coul be a good idea to put a black background or a mirror background?
I think a mirror will be difficult to cut and put on.
I think the black velvet can be easier.
That's just my idea.
For the moment my collection is in several boxes,with a place for each specimen,I will take photos,and add it to my own gallery,I think it's a good idea yo have had!

[Tobi]

Thank you for your compliments :-)

To find the perfect background is really difficult. The problem is that each background "swallows" the minerals which have a similar colour. So there is no perfect solution :-/

I tried a white background when this displays were new. Result: White or colourless minerals (e.g. quartz, apophyllite, calcite, Baryte) were nearly "invisible".

This wooden background here makes for example yellow and brown minerals look much paler than they really are. The belgian calcite that i posted above has a real great yellow colour and looks nearly like a sicilian sulphur. But when the specimen stands in this display, it looks just pale yellow and quite boring.

And a black background? This could "swallow" minerals like magnetite, haematite oder dark fluorite. But if you choose a dark grey velvet, it could work. And a mirror ... i've never tried this, sorry. But i know it from other collections and - to be honest - i don't like it very much.

[parfaitelumiere]

I agree with you regarding mirror.
It was a really bad idea!
But the black background can work,I' m quite sure!
I would like to buy one or two "vitrines(french word)" at Ikea,sold as cd's display,with lots of glass levels,and a glass door,not really nice as it is,but if displayed as an alcove it will work.
I'm waiting for the good place,the good home to do it!

[Tobi]

I hope that one day you will have that perfect place where you can present your "Vitrinen" (German word) well :-)

Here are some more specimens from my collection. This is an old European classic: Garnet var. almandine in mica schist from Oetz Valley, Austria. This specimen looks much better in person than on this pale photo. The large crystal on top measures 31 x 25 x 32 mm, overall size of the specimen is 70 x 40 x 50 mm.

[Tobi]

Here's another vanadinite from Morocco. The first specimen in this thread was one from Taouz with orange crystals on black matrix. This one is from Mibladen and it has perfect, dark red crystals up to 5 mm. Overall size 100 x 95 x 70 mm.

I love this little difference between these two Moroccan vanadinites (compare it to the first picture in this thread), especially when they are put next to each other on display.

[Tobi]

This is a fluorite cluster from Cave-In-Rock, Illinois. Overall size 80 x 70 x 40 mm, longest egde 45 mm.

[Tobi]

Wulfenite with mimetite from the San Francisco Mine in Sonora/Mexico. Overall size 50 x 40 x 35 mm, longest crystal egde exactly 10 mm.