Gem, mineral show begins 3

Ann Frazier continues to keep the memory of her husband, Si, alive by sharing the couple's world-famous quartz collection at shows around the country like this weekend's East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show.

The three-day event opens its doors on Friday, Aug. 12, in the Better Living Center on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield.

Dealers, miners, artisans, and crafters will be selling a variety of "rocks" ranging from 50-cent tumbled stones to $50,000 mineral specimens, from inexpensive beads to designer creations, and from shark's teeth to fossil skeletons. Natural mineral specimens, fossils, gemstones, beads, jewelry, meteorites, crystals, geodes, decorator items, and lapidary supplies and equipment are among the items for sale.

"I am sure that there are few people who have ever attempted to accumulate a quartz collection with the depth and breadth that we have. To fill 52 cases - complete with text explaining the interesting and attractive specimens - of one species is difficult to do. I am attempting to display as many aspects of quartz that I can. This includes the varieties of quartz such as amethyst, smoky, rock crystal, citrine, prase, rose and others, along with quartz habits, associations, inclusions, pseudomorphs, as well as a few of the agates and jaspers," Frazier said.

When Ann and her husband me, he was studying geology/mineralogy. They later spent a year in Europe collecting study material for Minerals Unlimited, a company in Berkeley, California. On their return, he attended graduate school and Ann went to work, but they knew that they wanted to be in the mineral business. By 1965, the couple owned a mineral business in Berkeley which they operated for about 17 years. During that time, they started a mineral collection, which they used while teaching mineralogy, gemology and related subjects at San Francisco State University and San Francisco City College. Even with the business, they continued to travel to Europe twice a year on buying trips both for minerals and gemstones. They also included books in their extensive business inventory. And they continued doing shows and traveling until about 2016, when they tired of this activity and Si's health was in a decline.

In 1980 they closed the store and just did gem and mineral shows. During all of that time they were adding to the collection in bits and pieces. They were encouraged by several people in the business to write a book about quartz.

"Si was most interested in the subject and we had started to direct almost all of our personal collecting activities in that area. We did start on a book about quartz, the notes of which currently fill about 10 file cabinets, unfortunately it never came to fruition. The quartz collection did, has, and continues to do so. I am still actively adding to the collection whenever I chance on a good specimen," Frazier said.

The show will feature dealers from all 50 states and Canada, as well as from Spain, Uruguay, Russia, Africa, Morocco and other faraway locations, noted Laura Delano of LLD Productions, Inc., organizers of the annual event.

Also, for those who want to dig a little deeper into the hobby, there will be several lectures offered throughout the three days.

"Our dealers understand that the future of shows rests upon the shoulders of kids, so we must engage and get them interested in what the hobby has to offer. So, they are interested in answering any and all questions and will often have small gift bags to give out," Delano said.

The show also features a newly expanded wholesale section for buyers.

Hours are Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. an Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission is $10 for adults and children under 12 are free with a paid adult. Eastern States charges $5 for parking.

In addition to just showing the minerals most of the cases with have text which will briefly discuss the type of quartz exhibited to provide a bit of educational material, which I feel is the most important part of this exhibit.

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