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A 50 year history of the Tucson gem and mineral show Bob Jones, Cave Creek, Arizona, USA Senior Consulting Editor Rock and Gem Magazine Using 35 mm slides and forty years of experience based on his membership on the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society Show Committee, Bob Jones will give a brief history of this world famous Show, held in Tucson, Arizona each February.. Ranked as one of the great gem and mineral shows in the world, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show started in a small elementary school in 1955. Eight dealers sold minerals to 1500 people who attended and six exhibits constituted the entire show. The Show, boasting over 25 major museum displays today, has been done entirely with volunteer help since its beginnings. Since 1955 the Show has grown exponentially. In 1961 the first important exhibit event in the show occurred with the participation of Paul Desautels, Curator of Gems and Minerals, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. . This was the first time the Smithsonian had displayed minerals at a local show. The Smithsonian has been a permanent exhibitor ever since. During the following years, other museum displays were added and in 1970 the first international museum, the British Museum, (NH), was invited. This was followed by various important museums from all over the world,. In 1984 the Committee invited Dr. Hu Chengzi, The Geological Museum, Beijing who exhibited minerals and received an honorary Tucson Citizenship from the Mayor of Tucson. Because of the fame and interest generated by the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, more and more shows were established, the first starting in 1961. Currently, there are about 40 retail and wholesale shows being held in Tucson during the January and February time period. These events together are now the single most important financial event in the City of Tucson and it all started with a small group of volunteers holding a mineral show in a school in 1955. |