On the way down to Tucson I stopped and visited with John Seibel.  John has recently obtained the Don Boydston Collection which was assembled in the 1950's and 1960's - much of it through Dave Wilbur.   This collection was rich in large wulfenite specimens from Arizona and other localities in the southwest and Mexico. I picked up several specimens while there in Tehachapi and then saw John again at the Inn Suites.  Below are images from several specimens I obtained and a few others of the hundreds he has available.

These are two large Glove mine wulfenite specimens - each over 20 cm across from the collection.
Both of these specimens are available at John's Room at the Inn Suites.
(As of February 1 both specimens are sold)

Here is a fine cabinet stolzite specimen from Broken Hill, Australia
valued at $1200 that I obtained. It is sold already...

Here is a 4.5 x 3.5 x 3 cm fully terminated bi colored tourmaline from the Himalaya mine.
Valued at $450.00 and it is available.

In the back corner of the Inn Suites I wandered into the room of Peruvian dealer Teodocio Ramos Cabrera.  He and his wife were set up in room 104 and had a fine array of proustite specimens from the Uchucchacua mine, Oyon Province, Lima Department, Peru.  A few of these were associated with bright pink rhodochrosite though most were "merely" associated with quartz or calcite only.  Several also had wire silver associations.  I felt fortunate to be his first customer and selected a dozen or so specimens two of which are featured below.

The entrance to Ramos Minerals.

Here is a 6 x 5 x 4 cm specimen of rhombic rhodochrosite with bright red crystals of proustite to 0.7 cm.
Valued at $750.00  it is currently available.Sold


Here is a 7 x 5 x 3 cm specimen of calcite with numerous bright red crystals of proustite to 1 cm across.
Valued at $950.00 it is currently available.Sold

I had heard about a new find of quartz crystals with inclusions of fluorite from Madagascar and decided to investigate.  To do this I had to get back in my car and drive to the Clarion.

I just love stop lights....

At the Clarion French dealer Frederic Gautier had a fine array of quartz crystals - many doubly terminated - with small 2-5 mm octahedral crystals of violet fluorite included in them.  These come from the Miandrivazo Province in Madagascar. The concentration of crystal is highly variable and the inclusions are typically restricted to one zone within the crystals.  I made a selection and below are two - one on display in his room at the Clarion and one I obtained.

 
Here is the best one I obtained from Frederic on the left.  It is a 9 cm crystal fully terminated with a
decent number of fluorite crystals included in it.  Valued at $425.00 it is currently available.SOLD The
specimen on the right is the finest specimen of the find. A 20+ cm crystal group valued at $2500 and
available in Frederic's room.

 
Here is Frederic and his assistant.  He also had some faceted quartz with the inclusions.


I saw this sphere of cats eye rose quartz and thought it was pretty
interesting.  Frederic had a fair number of these available.



This is picture at the head of Ventana Canyon that I took this morning (Jan. 30th.)
This is close to the place I am staying at. Yes the sky is that blue!