The Famous Harlow Benitoite Display

I have been aware of this benitoite collection since I first caught glimpse of it at the Monterey Gem, Mineral, & Jewelry Show hosted by the Carmel Valley Gem & Mineral Society back in 2007 or thereabouts when I first attended the show. At the time I had not yet been infected with benitoite fever nor had I yet met the collection's owner, the inestimable Susan Harlow, one of the nicest gals you will ever meet. I have since bumped into her here and there but we have never had any in-depth or meaningful prior interaction until this weekend.

Upon realizing some weeks ago that I would be at this show this year (after a three year absence) to help out in the Showcase International booth of my late friend Steve Shears I intended to contact Susan and ask her about not only her collection but its source, to wit, her father, Art Pawson, and his early interactions with some notable mineral-collecting luminaries, Ed Swoboda and Pete Bancroft, all three of whom visited the world famous Dallas Gem Mine in the New Idria region of San Benito County, California, in 1937 during a gap in official mining activity there. During the course of that expedition all three came away with a successful haul of benitoite and associated minerals. Art's haul is the basis for the collection Susan Harlow now owns and part of which is shown below. By the way, this benitoite display appeared at the world famous Tucson Gem & Mineral Show in 2011 which year the show's theme was California minerals.

In the coming months I shall be writing my first ever magazine article for a small-circulation publication in the Ojai Valley wherein I shall delve into greater depth on both this mineral which is the official California gemstone and the characters mentioned above and how they crossed paths.

Note: sorry these images aren't of higher quality but I had to take them through the glass of the display case.

All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).