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Posted 6:20 AM 2/9/2012 : Gem and Mineral Show highlights AZ
TUCSON - As the State of Arizona looks forward to February 14, 2012 to celebrate 100 years of Statehood, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society looks forward to our 58th Annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show February 9 - 12, 2012. In recognition of Arizona's Centennial, our theme for this year is "Minerals of Arizona" to show and highlight our state's proud history of minerals and mining. Our featured exhibit this year will be Arizona's Mineral Treasures: Celebrating Arizona's Centennial. This collection will feature some of the most spectacular minerals ever mined in our state. Minerals from mines such as the Glove Mine, Santa Cruz County, the North Geronimo Mine, La Paz County, and the New Cornelia Mine, Pima County will be highlighted. And no exhibit on minerals of Arizona would be complete without a Wulfenite from the Red Cloud Mine, La Paz County or the mines of Bisbee, Cochise County and the Copper Queen's contribution to the drive to Statehood. We will also have some of the Arizona minerals that were on display at the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893.
One of the exhibits that will be at our show will be a display of Bisbee, Arizona minerals from the National Museums of Scotland. How did a collection of Bisbee minerals end up in Scotland? James Douglas, a Scotsman and a metallurgist and mining engineer went to Bisbee on behalf of Phelps Dodge. He became the architect of a mining venture that turned Bisbee from a copper camp into one of the great mining towns of the world. Many of the engineers working in Bisbee were from Scotland and after finding wonderful minerals samples sent them back to Scotland.
In 1912 Arizona was a state of mining, Indians, cowboys and guns. We have recently reached an agreement with the Arizona Historical Society to bring Geronimo's rifle and Wyatt Earp's six-shooter to our show. Geronimo's rifle is currently on display at the museum in Tucson but Wyatt Earp's six-shooter is still in the archives. If you would like to see these two very interesting pieces of Arizona history visit our show.
We have also reached an agreement with the Smithsonian Institution to bring the Hooker Emerald Brooch to our show. This is a 75.47-carat beveled square-cut Colombian emerald that once was the property of Abdul Hamid II, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. In 1950 Tiffany & Co. reset this into a brooch that was purchased by Mrs. Janet Annenberg Hooker in 1955 and in 1977 she donated it to the Smithsonian.
For a once in a lifetime experience and a great way to celebrate Arizona's Centennial join us at the Tucson Convention Center February 9 - 12, 2012.
For additional information visit www.tgms.org
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