FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Bob Harman]

I am planning to spend about 9 - 10 days in Tucson. This will be my sixth time in the past 15 years. But, as I am getting on in years, this will most likely be my swan-song trip to Tucson.

So, I am doing an entirely informal and non-scientific poll as to who might NOT be coming to Tucson this year. I am trying to ascertain the changing attendance patterns from the attendees of the past 25 or so years.
As an addendum, I'll venture a guess that some of the older attendees come primarily for socializing rather than to buy and might just be downsizing (or planning to downsize) their personal collections.

Specifically, I am ONLY interested in those NOT coming this year for the first or second year after coming regularly for some years before that. And, I am only interested in those NOT coming primarily because of advancing age.

I am NOT interested in those NOT coming because of other conflicts, loss of interest, finances, not being a dealer, or those NOT coming who also haven't come in several years or longer.

Please only respond if you have come within the past year or two, but will NOT be coming this year primarily because of your advancing age with increasing difficulty of travel.

Maybe no responses so, thanks for any replies! BOB

[rweaver]

[bob kerr]

As I've posted many times in the past, the "Tucson Show" starts for me when Adam Wright of the Adelaide Mine in Tasmania arrives with his new crocoite shipment.

For this season, there's were some interesting new items and quite a few of the "usual" great crocoites. The photos below show what Adam calls "The Mohawk" - lots and lots of lustrous orange/red needles with black manganese oxides mixed in on a "flattish" matrix. A really nice piece safely housed in an acrylic container.

Adam also had a few black crocoites - more likely, manganese oxides after crocoite - one photo attached.

After visiting Adam, I toured around what is becoming the main mineral focus area - in and around Top Gem/Sun Gem/La Fuente/Mineral City on Oracle Road. Some dealers were actually open or soon to be open and there was a new "Matrix India" tent put up just behind La Fuente. See photos.

Much more to come.
bob

[bob kerr]

Spent some time in and around the Top Gem area and the HTCC today. Very few dealers are open yet but there is lots of setup activity and a number of dealers plan to open tomorrow and certainly by the weekend. The vendors at the Top Gem annex, Sun Gem and Mineral City are not associated with any promoter or show so they can open their private rooms whenever they wish.

Also of note - to quote the Monty Python movie Holy Grail - "I'm not dead yet!" - and that appears to be the situation at the HTCC. It looks like the owner will be holding his own show at the hotel. See attachment. Last year lots of dealers had major complaints about HTCC condition, parking and potholes - but there were also lots of complaints about moving 12 miles north to the Conquistador not to mention the price (motel room and show fee).

Anyway, I am sure we will hear more about this.

bob

[Bob Harman]

Bob Kerr's last sentence or two is food for thought for another thread. "Consider the economics of being a dealer at the Tucson show".

For high end dealers from Europe, for example, it means travel, about 2 weeks of lodging, food, and shipping (both to and from Tucson) several hundred fragile hi end specimens for sale.
For lower end dealers it means sales, sales ,and more sales to meet their expenses. All worthy of consideration prior to committing to being a dealer out there. Bob

[alfredo]

Only 2 weeks, Bob? Many of the European dealers I know are here for 3 weeks, or more, and I‘m here for 5 weeks this year. It seems to keep on expanding with every decade. As my late mentor Rock Currier said, "Tucson Week was fun, Tucson Month is less fun" - but for me personally it‘s still fun. (I may change my mind after I get older and grumpier.)

As for costs, back in the early 1990s, when I was an impoverished dealer from Bolivia and Rock advised me to come to Tucson, I was horrified by the potential expenses. Rock‘s response, in a nutshell, was that yes, expenses were very high, but sales were several times higher than at any other venue in the world so, in spite of the high expenses, for most dealers Tucson was the most profitable time of the year. Rock said, "If a dealer can‘t make it in Tucson, he won‘t make it anywhere".

And there are plenty of people who do successfully do Tucson on a low budget, dealers who share space with others and split costs, and people who stay in outlying communities like Casa Grande or Benson with cheap hotels and commute into Tucson, or who sleep on friends‘ couches, or camp out in the desert in a tent or rented motor home.... Not to recommend the really really REALLY "low end" collectors sleeping in their cars in the HTCC parking lot and washing their clothes at 2 a.m. in the hotel‘s hot tub (yes, on one night of insomnia I saw that) - Give them an A+ for mineralogical enthusiasm.

[Roger Warin]

Hello Alfredo,
I’ve never seen Tucson because I don’t travel much.
In your opinion, what are the main differences between Tucson, Munich, Sainte-Marie?
Which show do you prefer? The one where you have the most contacts, or the one where mineralogy is most expressive?
Because in fact, we often find identical specimens on these different shows.
Thank you.

[Bob Harman]

For those going to Tucson, protecting your health while there and after your return home should be taken seriously. Being a retired MD pathologist, I follow the flu season and other disease outbreaks with some interest.

Unfortunately, coincidentally, the Tucson Show happens to take place during the heart of the flu season. This year there is both strain A of the flu virus and now, newly appearing is strain B which this year's vaccine was not anticipating. To make matters more complicated, different strains predominate in different parts of the world. Americans vaccinated for strain A might come onto contact with foreign dealers/visitors with strain B.
Then to make matters even worse is the sudden appearance, mostly in China, is the dangerous Corona virus.

Even vaccinated, chances of getting the flu are significant. Chances of getting Corona virus infection, maybe from a Chinese dealer or visitor, which mimics the flu in its early stages, is very remote.

Bottom line, especially if you are an older person or have another chronic condition, avoid shaking everyones hands, avoid close contact in crowds, and if you have A FEVER with your congestion, it might be more than a cold.....seek medical advice.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Bob

[Jordi Fabre]

To get your bearings in Tucson 😏

The best summary is, no doubt, the summary of the XPO Press: https://xpopress.com/

The best description of the main Shows is on the last (number 54) Tom Moore's column: What's New in the Mineral World :

[bob kerr]

What Jordi provided is a good summary of the venues in and around the Mineral City / Top Gem area. One addition and one comment:

- just south of the Mineral and Fossil Co-op and just to the west of the old Executive (Fortuna) Inn (where Drachman Street intersects Oracle) is another grouping of tents that house some good mineral dealers - I think it used to be associated with the Arizona Mineral and Fossil Show when it was at the Executive Inn but the dealers at this venue still exist. There's ROC3000, Malcolm Alter, Ahmed (Moroccan digger) and at least two Chinese dealers and others. Worth a trip.

- I chatted with Tomasz Praszkier of Spirifer Minerals the other day - apparently he is the promoter for the Mineral City show. He said that in addition to the three buildings that are being used for this year, there are to be three additional ones constructed over the summer specifically to house mineral dealers - many of which are departing the HTCC/Inn Suites. These will use the same business model - dealers rent the space for the entire year so the space is not only a selling room but also long term storage of specimens, display case, tables, etc.

If this is indeed the case, I think the answer to Jordi's previous query about where the future the of Tucson Mineral shows will be focused is answered.

bob

[alfredo]

[Roger Warin]

Alfredo, thank you for your very detailed opinion.
It corresponds to the one I received from European visitors.
However, you pointed out an important thing that I didn't know: the Tucson show is a dynamic event over time. And this vibration lasts so long that many new things are unpacked over time.
There is no beginning, and probably no end if not the one imposed by tiredness.

[RayStraw]

I have some ideas about using user posters to help fundraising for FMF or other mineral groups.

I'll be in Tucson from January 30 thru February 4.

Could we meet if you are available with those dates?

Best Regards,
Raymon Straw

[Bob Morgan]

For the more adventurous, getting around Tucson can cost very little. There is a bike co-op, Bicus, across the tracks and about 4 blocks north of the Hotel Tucson. They rent bikes for
$35/ wk. That eliminates parking problems and gets you to the close in venues as fast or faster. To get to the Westward Look, the bike can be put on a public bus, leaving only a mile and a half to bike.
For seniors, a pass can be bought for $3, making rides only $1. The Tucson Sun Transit is a really good bus service with two lines even to the airport.
If you want to take friends out to eat, get a rental car.

[bob kerr]

The Mineral City crowd has issued a flyer showing where all their dealers are. as I mentioned previously, there are 3 additional buildings planned for next year's show.

bob