Polyhedroids

Polyhedroids were discovered in Bahia, Brazil. in the early 70's. They were first mined for an Australian company called Soklich Trading Company. The first agates ever to enter the United States were imported from Soklich in Australia by The Gem Shop, Inc. in 1974.  Before anyone in the U.S. even saw a Polyhedroid, they literally traveled around the world: Brazil to Australia to the U.S.

           Veronica, my daughter, manages the Tucson Showplace and persuaded Martin Soklich to tenancy at the Showplace, not knowing that I had done business with Martin's father over 30 years ago. Last year she offhandedly asked Martin if he had any Polyhedroids. He showed up this year with about 200 lbs. of small perfectly shaped, exquisite, rough Polyhedroids. It's amazing how history tends to repeat itself.

Porcelain Jasper Arrives at Dusk

Few things happen in Tucson on schedule -- or at least as you plan them. This year our ten tons of Porcelain Jasper arrived on time: the Tuesday before the show started. The semi truck that brought the rock was the fourth truck to arrive that day. The parking lot cannot hold more than one semi at a time, and each truck had to wait its turn to pull in and be unloaded. Not only that, the first two semis carried goods for other companies who were nowhere to be found -- so we unloaded them. By the time the truck with the Porcelain arrived, we had already moved over 60 tons of rock. Now it was getting dark.
     In the morning we inspected the rock. The pattern is very good and varied. The size ranges from smaller cabbing rock to large slabbing rock. 

Jewelry!

We just received new jewelry carvings! They are carved out of various materials from agate and jasper to onyx and serpentine. Whether it’s the elegant blossoming flowers, lilting leaves, butterfly wings, or floating druzy [type of flowers], these pieces lend a graceful touch to any jewelry design.

New Escape pendants have also arrived! We have a new stock of our stylish pendants and some new editions: the picturesque Rocky Butte and Australian Chrysoprase. The bail designs on the two new rock types include some which are redesigned, and reevaluate the wares of elegance.

New Birdseye Rhyolite

This mammoth piece weighs over 200 lbs.

We arrived in Tucson late Wednesday night January 12th. Early Thursday morning we received our first shipment: 10 tons of Birdseye Rhyolite, stacked high in wire baskets in the back of a 53' semi truck.

The pallet-ed baskets relax in the shade

Seven of the pallets came off easily, but one pallet was busted to pieces. Luckily, we were able to strap a rope around one corner of the pallet and tug it out with the forklift. We dragged the basket slowly to the back of the truck where we could get the forks in it. Our first shipment had arrived! The rock looks consistent and good. The rock has many very colorful orbs and varied backgrounds which give it an exotic flair. It is mostly larger pieces, ranging from 2 to 60 lbs each.

The rock looks very good this year.