Zuni Fetish Carving Display, and Playing Catch-Up

Hey, sorry about the hiatus there! I've missed you. I wanted to tell you about the Quartzsite and Tucson show season, with links to all the cool gem and mineral and fossil shows out there in January and February, but we've been sick here, and are not getting caught up as fast as we'd like. Vendors from all around the world converge in the American Southwest in the winter (and other places at other times), and this year there were special mineral displays commemorating Arizona's statehood centennial. Arizona has a lot of mining in its history, especially silver and copper, but also gold and turquoise and other minerals. Plus there is always wild stuff, like animatronic dinosaurs, giant gem crystals, new fossil finds, fabulous frauds and, alas, daring thefts. If you want to read a little about the Tucson shows, you can try these links:

 http://www.snobappealjewelry.com/blog/?p=1708

 http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2012/01/19/boomer-travel-tips-tucson-gem-show/

 on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TucsonGemShow

 and Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Tucson_Gem_Show

 A couple of weekends ago, I finally got over to the Kent (NY) Public Library and installed a display about Zuni fetish carvings. The Zuni pueblo is in New Mexico (website: http://www.ashiwi.org/).  You've probably seen Hopi kachina dolls, petroglyphs from various places in the desert, Navajo silver and turquoise jewelry —Zuni fetishes and jewelry are related items.

If you visit my display and find yourself getting a hankering for some little spiritual stone critters of your own, you can find them locally at a number of places, especially the Mexican Shack in Somers. People closer to the Hudson River can find a few at Momminia in Cold Spring (there were two I saw there recently that I barely resisted!), and folks in Connecticut can find some at the Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS) in Washington, CT. A visit to any of those places is always a real pleasure, like spa day for the soul.

Unfortunately the wampum showcase at IAIS (alluded to in ) is over now, but you may still be able to find a few pieces there if you call ahead. Also, we are coming into mineral show season and pow-wow season. I love that purple and white quahog shell, so I had to toodle over and take some photos to share. The work is by Allen “Tall Oak” Hazard and Craig “Ten Point” Spears, Sr. Their work is available at The Purple Shell, a shop in Charlestown, RI, as well as, one presumes, other short venues like the exhibit at IAIS.

Website for The Purple Shell: http://nativeloomsb.weebly.com/the-purple-shell.html

Depending when this post gets approved, it may be in time to advise you of this weekend's gem, jewelry & mineral show in Meriden, CT: “Sponsored by the Lapidary & Mineral Society of Central CT. Sat. 9:30-5; Sun. 10-4. Kids' activities featuring 3 games (mine maze, geode splitting, fossil dig) with prizes, treasure hunt, educational material, and fluorescent and mineral displays." Live lapidary demonstrations. Free parking. Admission: Adults: $5; Seniors and Students: $4; Children 12 & under FREE. Maloney HS, Gravel St. **Free mineral specimen with every admission**”

And there is always more to come.