17. A Sneak Peak into the Westward Look Show
The best show in town, the Westward Look
Feb 2-6 2007
by Justin Zzyzx
Coming Soon! A Sneak Peak of the 2008 Westward Look Show. In the mean time, check out last year's article.
Every year tens of thousands of people flock to the city of Tucson, Arizona for the world famous "Tucson Gem Show". While many people associate this huge event with the main show at the Convention Center, other people picture the vast assortment of hotels stretching down the I-10 corridor featuring hundreds of rooms filled with every possible combination of minerals and related items. If beads and wooden masks from Africa and countless metaphysical dealers are not your cup of tea, perhaps you are looking for something a little more…unique.
Six years ago David Waisman took to that challenge and started the "Westward Look" show, etching out one of the most amazing assemblages of high quality mineral dealers in the world. Every year the show gets larger, featuring only the very best dealers bringing their big guns with them! This is, without a doubt, the most important show for serious mineral collectors. Set in the picturesque foothills of the Catalina mountains, the Westward Look resort serves as the perfect host for this premier event. This year 30 dealers occupy the posh rooms at the "Look" and you can be guaranteed that each one of them saves their best material for this event.The Westward Look show is situated right in the middle of the Tucson event, from February 2nd through the 6th and features two very fun events during the show. On the 3rd, Bryan Lees from the Collector’s Edge will be available in the main lobby to show off specimens from his personal collection. Anyone who has been living under a rock is sure to know of Mr. Lees’ work on the Sweet Home Mine, the Dallas Gem Mine and the Red Cloud Mine. He is a living legend among collectors and his collection of Colorado minerals is sure to be an eye opener!
The show is comprised of premier mineral dealers as well as some of the finest meteorite dealers in the business. If you are a collector of ancient dead creatures, two very fine fossil dealers are in attendance as well. It’s a veritable who’s who of the very best dealers in the world. Several dealers’ rooms are like walking into a museum, but better yet, you can take home a specimen or two, just bring along the contents of your bank account and be sure not to ask for your spouse’s permission first!
On the 4th two amazing museum curators, Jeffery Post from the Smithsonian and Theodore J. Bornhorst from the Seaman Museum, will be presenting their take on the annual installment of "My Favorite Minerals". This event is usually a very highly attended affair and often standing room only! Starting at 7:30, be sure to show up early to grab a seat! Having an in-depth look at the minerals and adventures that two esteemed curators of two of the best known natural science museums is sure to be an event well worth attending!
Now, my friends, you are in for a special treat availble especially for friends of The-Vug.com!
Several of our fine mineral dealers are also sellers at the Westward Look show and have prepared an exclusive sneak peek of the goodies they will be bringing to this must see event.Brian Koznar and his brother Brett will be bringing some very fine specimens to the show, including several things to make you Bolivian collectors salivate!
Hi The-Vug.com Readers!
We will be bringing the best part of the lot of Vauxite specimens that we acquired from the Siglo XX mine in Bolivia. These pieces feature specimens measuring up to 20 cm long with a coverage of light to medium blue radiating aggregates which are associated with micro Paravauxite and acicular Metavauxite with small spherical Wavellite aggregates. This is a great rarity to find Vauxite, Paravauxtie AND Metavauxite on the same specimen together from this mine. Siglo XX is also the type locality for all three of these super rare phosphates. To up the ante, I also have two specimens of this material that are associated with Franckeite (!), which to the best of my knowledge, is the only time that Franckeite has been found with any of the three "Vauxites" from Siglo XX in its long history. Franckeite in and of itself is immensely rare, but to find it with colorful phosphate species is outstanding. Also, all of these specimens have a firm Quartz-Diorite porphyry matrix, and NOT crumbly clay (after Allophane) like so many of the phosphates from this mine. These pieces are a phosphate collector's dream, or anybody who is interested in rare (and COLORFUL) species from Bolivia. All of the pieces are from a new find last year and we acquired the lion's share of the pocket.
Also we'll be bringing in a great mix of other Bolivian rarities and more commonly known species including more of the world's finest Andorite specimens, plus what are undoubtedly the most impressive twinned Ferberite crystals extant, additionally there will be more Paravauxite/Sigloite combination specimens, also we'll have plenty of favorites like Vivianite, Magnetite, Amethyst (scepters and reverse scepters), Cassiterite, Danburite, Wavellite etc etc. For anybody interested, I will be bringing what is more than likely the FINEST Potosiite specimen in existence. It's a cabinet with crystals over 1 cm (!) on Franckeite matrix. Tell anybody who is interested in seeing it to ask me because it will be "under the table".
I will have several "classics" from Europe, Colorado and various world localities. Plus I will be bringing a large mix of new acquisitions (400-500 pieces) including contemporary and "classic" display pieces in all price ranges and sizes. Everything has been selected from several old collections which we have acquired in recent years.
For the first time ever, I will be bringing a few select pieces from my personal Bolivian collection to the show, including one of the finest small "cabinet" matrix Andorite specimens in the world.
I will also be debuting a large selection of old time Tsumeb specimens from the Marshall Sussman collection at the WL show. There's probably about 100 pieces, with a good mix of color, rarity and interesting associations.
See you there !
Koz
The Gobins of MineralWeb.com have just gotten back from Namibia securing more wild green fluorites from the Oraje River and Erongo, plus lots of other fantastic Namibian minerals! Plus, they will have some exciting specimens from Pakistan, such as some mouthwatering Beryl crystals! Ohh la la!
Rob's room is always one of the most impressive and this year will be no different it seems! Wow...I mean, wow man...I suggest hitting this room early, if you can make it through the door!
Rob has secured more of the Ed David collection! Ed is a scientist, engineer, and collector from New Jersey whose collection is quite remarkable! He will have another 300 FRESH new specimens from the collection, priced $400-$85,000 and of a wide variety of species and styles, at the show!
Check out the pictures of this NEW FIND of wulfenites from China. So what, you say? Seen them already?! NOT LIKE THESE. Imagine the best old style fat wulfenites from the red cloud, then make them fatter, redder, and juicier, add a pristine condition you just never got out of the Red Cloud Mine, and you have possibly the best lot of red wulfenites since the 1930's from anywhere! These crystals are just eye-candy. Several thousand speicmens came out of a large series of connected pockets and he was able to get an agent to china to cherrypick one of the two major lots. Rob will have about 24 specimens in his room, with crystals to 1 x 1 x 3/4 inch in size, on matrix, miniatures to cabinet sized.
RICHARD HAUCK, proprietor of the famous Sterling Hill Museum sold Rob his well known collection of cabinet sized Michigan copper specimens, assembled mostly during the 60s and 70s. They contain the core of the earlier Neal Yedlin copper collection. This is a spectacular assemblage of large and valuable copper specimens, mostly mined during the late 1800s to early 1900s, and includes specimens formerly in the collecitons of institutions like the Cranbrook Museum and the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences which are not touchable today.
Stu Wilensky doesn’t know exactly what he will be bringing, but just like the items on his website, you know it’s going to fantastic. Jaw dropping and pocketbook emptying! But you’ll be the subject of your friend’s envy back home!
Looking for THE meteorite specimen to COMPLETE you?
Ouch…
And if you ever wanted to pretend you were sitting in town square of Windhoek, you could always fork over 150k on this HUGE Gibeon Meteorite!
Featuring some of the finest Meteorites and Fossils known, Allan Langheinrich of R.A.Langheinrich, Meteorites and Lang’s Fossils will be offering an exotic suite of unique treasures from his Westward Look showroom. For the 2007 show, Allan has assembled a rare and spectacular gathering of Meteorites rich in Witnessed Falls, Museum deaccessions, historic Huss and Nininger specimens, and select choice specimens from the R.A. Langheinrich Collection Complimenting these exceptional specimens, Allan continues to pioneer his exciting 4th Annual Meteorite Auction. Singular in the Meteorite World, Allan's auction offers the chance for everyone, both the folks visiting there in Tucson and for you folks here, reading this at home, to participate in this exciting auction and cast their bids, taking an exhilarating participatory role in acquiring their own personal meteorite treasures.
Click HERE or more information on this year's auction!
In addition to Allan's Meteorites, he'll present an unparalleled offering of rare and spectacular predatory Eurypterid fossils, most personally collected by Allan from his world famous quarry located near Ilion, in upstate New York. These rare and primitive arthropods make exquisite attractive specimens, their powerful and graceful forms highlighted against their matrix epitomize the alien ancient world where once these animals thrived and ruled supreme. Come by and visit us in Building 23, room # 243 and find out why our customers have come to expect only the finest quality from one of the world's longest established and most respected Meteorite and Fossil businesses.
If you'd like to explore Allan's online website's, please see for Meteorites... NYRockman.com ... and for Fossils... Langs Fossils
We look forward to seeing you. All the very best!
Robert Seilecki of AusRox has been active in the Congo this year, so he has a great assortment of Malachite stalactites, Dioptase and Carrolite! Sounds fantastic! In addition, he will have a nice stash of newly mined "SunJade", the gem variety of Prehnite from northern Australia! AusRox always has some FANTASTIC material, so be sure to check him out!
Steven Smale will have some very nice cibachrome, large photographs of specimens from his new coffee table mineral book. He will also have a varied selection of minerals from his personal collection for sale including a number from china. 
Crystal Classics will once again be joining together with other top mineral dealers to create the exclusive Westward Look Mineral Show - 2nd to 6th Feb 2007. This is a small select show with only the finest minerals for sale, and our showroom promises not to disappoint! 2006 was a big year for Crystal Classics in terms of acquisitions, with many top collections including
from the USA:
- The Pellman Collection
- The Mary Anne Shale Collection
And from Europe:
- the Wendula Lassere Collection (Geneva)
- the Brian Lloyd Collection (England)
- the Bernard Charlier Collection (France)
- the Collection of Gerard Lesage (Chamonix)
- the Simon Harrison Collection (England)
Plus several other high quality European Collections yet to be named, as well as many fine individual pieces!
This Westward Look show, we will be showcasing the best from our European collections, featuring many exquisite specimens from the recently acquired collections. These specimens have been held back specifically for this show, and have not yet been seen in the USA!!! They include many old classics from the Continent, and outstanding locality pieces.
So come and visit us in Room 235 to see our dazzling display of quality minerals! Hope to see you there!
So, there you have it! As you can see, there is going to be some AMAZING things happeneing at the Westward Look show this year! Don't miss your chance to see the best mineral dealers in the world showcasing their best minerals!
Check out Westwardminerals.com for more details!
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