Eppelheim Show Report

9 April 2010

Ian recently spent several weeks driving around Germany, visiting collectors and museums, and was lucky to be in Eppelheim in time for the Eppelheim Mineral Show. The show was held on the weekend of the 20-21 March, and has been held annually for the last 47 years by the Society of the Friends of Minerals and Geology. The show features 165 exhibitors from all over Europe displaying minerals, jewellery and associated equipment.

Mr. Benz (one of the members of this Society) told us more than 2000 visitors were expected, and shortly after opening the hall was indeed crowded with collectors. The show was a great opportunity for us to meet up with friends, both collectors and dealers, and to also meet new local collectors.

The first booth we visited was Wendel Minerals. Dealer Wolfgang Wendel showed us these nice Goethites from Pikes Peak, Colorado USA.

Norbert and Dorthea Stötzel were also exhibiting at the show, and had this large and beautiful Amethyst from Las Vigas, Veracruz, Mexico on display:

Siegbert Zechas always has beautiful old German classics at his booth, and at this show he was offering the whole range from Argentite to Pyargarite to Silver.

Gunter Zimmermann of Frankfurt was presenting brand new Aquamarines from the Erongo Region, Namibia. The specimens were found in January this year (2010) and are superb with bright blue Aquamarines, some in lovely combinations with Fluorite.

Carsten Slotta from Hausach had two new finds at his booth. The first was Native Copper discovered in autumn 2009 at the Prosper Mine, Bad Rippoldsau, Black Forest, Germany.

The second new find was lovely new Mimetites from the Haus Baden Mine, Badenweiler, Germany which filled almost half of his booth. We first saw these at the Munich show last year.

Dealer Karel Van Gool from Belgium showed us new Fluorites from the Huayllapon Mine, Pasto Bueno, Ancash, Peru which were mined only two months ago.

Also newly mined in January this year where these Quartzes with Hubnerite from the same location, the Huayllapon Mine.

Karel Van Gool deals in minerals from Peru and Bolivia, and also had some great material from the Mundo Nuevo Mine, Huamachuco, La Libertad Dept, Peru. This mine, similarly to the Huayllapon Mine, produces great combinations of Fluorite, Quartz and Hubnerite such as this gorgeous specimen:

“Kristall” which is run by Jürgen and Margit Margraf had a lovely worldwide display. They have been exhibiting at the Eppelheim show for the last five years, and can also be seen at the Ste. Marie aux Mines, France show at the end of June and the Munich, Germany show at the end of October. They showed us this lovely combination from Erongo - Aquamarine with deep purple Fluorites:

Also on the booth of “Kristall” this blue Fluorite ball from China.

And lastly dealers Peter and Katrin Schlegel from the Erzgebirge were exhibiting at the Eppelheim show.

They were promoting their own upcoming show in Aue, Erzebirge, Saxony on the 2nd of May. The Aue show is in its 35th year, with exhibitors from all over Europe, offering mostly minerals, and is well attended by collectors.

Crystal Classics will be attending the show and will give you a full report from the former mining centre.

Author: Ian Bruce and Diana Schlegel
Categories: News & Information