FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Dean Allum]

David,
Let's try out some of the responses to real world "Great Collectors".
Here is a short list of legendary collectors which most people would classify as "great".

James Smithson
George Kunz
A.E. Foote
Arthur Montgomery

Wealth is not a common theme among these men. Neither is the relative time they spent on collecting. They did tend to have a mineralogical education.

Passion, museum donations and propensity to travel/explore are a common theme.

I would say that there is no correct formula to becoming a great mineral collector. They all take different paths.

-Dean Allum

[Susan Robinson]

Add to that list: Roebling, Canfield, Bement, and a modern-day collector, William Pinch.

[Louis Friend]

What about adding Gail and Jim Spann to that list?

In less than half a decade, they have gone from relative obscurity to one of the most famous couples in the mineral collecting hobby. I do not know all the details but their “meteoric” rise must be a first in the history of mineral collecting.

[Greg Toomey]

Not much to add - all of the responses have been great.

I believe the one characteristic that all great collectors share is having "the eye" to spot great minerals in whatever price range or field collecting range is available to that person. Also, the ability and willingness to give their time to the hobby, whether it be local or worldwide.

As for examples of "great collectors," I would add that great collectors must be judged in the era that they were active collectors. Dave Wilber once pointed out that his early collection during the 1960's was great at that time, but compared to many of today's collections would pale in comparison. Today, we have many great collectors and personal collections, but I must add that years ago people put less emphasis on individual collectors and their collections, and more emphasis on museum collections and great mining and mineralogical discoveries. Personally, I'm grateful that more collectors and personal collections are accessible via shows, books and the internet.

Greg

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody!
Let me have an opinion of what makes a great mineral collector. In my opinion, the first rule is: never ever make a piece unworthy, no matter how small it is. It has always a "love" value and worth for you, expecially if you found it by yourself during a trip to a mine! And moreover: don't be afraid of making exchanges with other collectors or attend to international expositions and bourses! I hope I was useful for you!
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.

[Maxilos]

Hi,

I think it is time for my opinion now. I'd say that a great mineral-collector is a person who stays himself at every moment. A person who respects it's own collection and the collection of other people/museums. And of course this person needs to be enthusiastic about his hobby and/or work.

Hope you like this opinion from the Netherlands,

Mark

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody! Hi Maxilos!
Fully agree with your opinion, Maxilos! We all have to respect our own collections and also the collections of other people. I had a contest once with another collector here in Milan, because (by listening to him), just what HE found was beautiful and worthy. I don't agree at all with this issue. A beautiful stone is always a beautiful stone,and no matter how big (or small!) it is and no matter whom it belongs to!
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.