In 2019 I decided I wanted to put in an exhibit at the Tucson Gem and Mineral show. For a mineral collector like myself, this is the penultimate experience, to display your favorite specimens and talk about them with other collectors. This is the story of that journey.

I have been a collector of prehnite ever since I discovered it during my early collecting years in my home state of New Jersey. Gradually I expanded my collection to new localities in India, Mali, Namibia, Spain and several classic localities in Europe. By 2018, I had a pretty comprehensive collection, with hundreds of specimens.

The theme of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society’s 2020 show was World Class Minerals, with each collector allowed to define what this meant to him. I interpreted this to mean the best specimens from the most significant localities. So how did I start?

• I brought 11 of my best specimens to the 2019 Houston Gem & Mineral Show and gave them to Stone Throne LLC to create individualized bases. These labeled acrylic bases are very popular and help display a specimen to best advantage in a very professional manner.
• I contacted Peter Megaw, who has been the exhibits chairman of the TGMS Show for many years. He directed me to the TGMS website where I was able to make application for my exhibit, to be titled “A Love Affair with Prehnite”. TGMS’s website gave detailed instructions on the particulars of liner construction for the three sizes of standard cases available for displays. Construction of risers is left to the exhibitor. I choose the 48-inch-wide case.
• After Christmas dinner, I commandeered the dining room table, and began to manage my display project. There were many decisions to be made.

• First, I selected a thick white cardboard from Texas Art Supply and white foam core board for the liners to cover the sides, floor and back of the case. For the risers, I selected 2-inch-thick Styrofoam sheets and covered them with cardboard glued in place. After determining the proper measurements, I cut them to size and then searched for cloth to cover the liner sections. At a local quilt shop I found a pale gray-green cloth to complement the predominantly green color of my prehnite specimens. I bought the entire supply and hoped it would be enough.
• With liners and risers ready, it was time to bring out the specimens and prepare a mock-up. Some were in my display cases and others scattered through flats in my collection. My thought was not so much to show the very best specimens, but to feature a wide variety of locations from around the world with very good examples. I pulled out about a hundred of my favorite specimens and the winnowing began.
• Some specimens were almost guaranteed a spot, like the prehnite from Antarctica and my best specimen form Prospect Park, New Jersey. I narrowed it down to two from India, two from Namibia, one each from Spain, Germany and Switzerland, one from Kazakhstan, Morocco and South Africa. And so on!

• Once I had the specimens selected, I began working on the arrangement. After moving all the pieces around repeatedly, it became obvious I was going to need more bases. I was able to find some the sizes I need, but larger 3” x 4” and 4” x 4” were not available. However, there was a plastics company which could supply ½” acrylic sheet cut to size.
• These acrylic pieces showed saw-marks, so I researched methods of removing scratches, other than flame polishing. I then purchased four grit sizes of wet-dry paper to uses on the edges of the acrylic blocks. I also purchased N-95 respirator masks to use while sanding. These came in handy later, too.
• After matching bases to specimens, it was apparent I would need supports to hold some specimens upright in the best position, so I found another company selling 6“long, ½” diameter acrylic rods. I had to saw rods to size and attach them to the bases with a solvent glue and special applicator. Are you beginning to get the idea that this was a complicated process? Remember that the TG&MS Show is one of the pre-eminent shows in the mineral world, and of course, I wanted to make a good impression as a first-time exhibitor.

• With all bases made and specimens picked out, the final arranging of specimens began. After many iterations I was finally satisfied with the overall appearance and the balance of specimen sizes, colors and locations.
• Now I needed to get the labels made. After confirming all locations with Mindat.org and making a list, I turned it over to my daughter, who is a graphic designer. She used an Adobe program to produce beautiful colored labels all of the same size.
• Now it was time to cover the liners, base, and risers with my purchased fabric. This is when I found out there was not quite enough material, and there was no more to be had. Eventually I decided to use a printed paper sheet with the title of the exhibit and a map of the world with small stars for locations. Once again, my daughter was able to produce a fabulous backdrop with colors to complement the liners and specimens, and to get it printed professionally for me. It was attached to the foam core of the backdrop.
• Finally, with all the liners, risers and backdrop covered, it was time to pack up the specimens, which filled four flats and a couple of boxes, the bases and labels and supplies like tape, glue and min-tac in two more boxes, and the risers, liners and backdrop wrapped up together, and double checking everything, I was ready.
• The TG&MS Show is 4 days long, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so set-up day for the dealers and exhibitors is Wednesday. We arrived Wednesday afternoon and checked in, picking up case keys and location map, and exhibitor tags. After several hours of unpacking and arranging, the finished case was set up to my satisfaction. The last thing I did before closing up and locking the case was to take several photos, with both my phone and Nikon camera.

Ta Da!

The case was successfully set-up, and I had a great time at the show, talking to other exhibitors while they set up their cases and then discussing my love of Prehnite with attendees of the show.