Gem and Crystal Treasures

By Peter Bancroft
A Western Enterprises
Mineralogical Record Bookl
1984 ISBN 0-9613461-1-6

Mineralogical Record Book writes:

Within these pages you will embark on 100 field trips to many of the world’s most exotic gem and crystal mines. You will relive the discovery and earliest days of each deposit, and meet those who worked in and about the mines—shopkeepers, sheriffs, miners, prostitutes, and bad men, all portrayed in 667 black and white illustrations and accompanying text.

Over 320 crystal and gemstone treasures gleaned from these deposits are depicted in full color. Each crystal has been selected as one of the choicest examples available. For the most part, specimens have been photographed in their entirety.

Dr Peter Bancroft has assembled what may be the finest group of gemstone and crystal illustrations ever, augmented by photos of exquisite carvings, faceted gems, and stunning jewelry.

Step back in time and experience human drama as it was—incredible good fortune, stark tragedy, and every conceivable event in between. Marvel at a wealth of gemstones and naturally formed crystals—surely among God’s greatest treasures.

Peter Bancroft writes:
As a small boy I sometimes sat before glowing coals in the fireplace of our darkened living room listening to my father and two uncles spin yarns of the old days. Ours had been a mining family. A great grandfather was chief carpenter and a great uncle was superintendent of the Sutro Tunnel in Virginia City, Nevada. An uncle was paymaster for copper mines at Jerome, Arizona. Another uncle owned the La Noria silver mine in Michoacan, Mexico, and my father had surveyed the Tonopah—Tidewater Railroad into Death Valley, California.

Inspired, I started a modest mineral collection. High school and collegiate courses in mineralogy and geology provided technical background, but also exposure to the beautiful world of stunning gemstones and crystals. I read every available book on mineralogy and mining, but seldom found reference to the men who worked the mines or people who lived in mining towns.

In 1973, I outlined a format for a new book to be titled Gem And Crystal Treasures. It would feature 100 of the world’s classic crystal producing localities. Each of the 100 chapters would concentrate on the human side, the history and lore of these famous deposits. Technical data, extensively covered in treatises shelved in many scientifically oriented libraries, would be kept, for the most part, in low profile.

The finest crystals, carvings, gemstones and jewelry items would be sought out wherever they were to be found n the world to be photographed in color for illustrations. This would require massive cooperation on the part of curators, collectors and photographers, as well as mining companies and various national and local governments.

Mysterious below-ground galleries and tunnels where men labored in constant danger would be profusely illustrated in black and white photography. Selected vignettes would portray the lives and times of miners and townspeople, some of whom were just plain characters.

I planned to visit many of the selected mines, as well as important museums, private collections and archives, and to seek interviews with those whose lives had been intimately connected with the mining of gemstones and crystals.

Eleven years after the project was envisioned, Gem And Crystal Treasures is ready to go to press. Most of the 100 mines have been personally visited and hundred of interviews conducted. Many miles were traveled in every conceivable type of conveyance and not a few were trod along dimly-lit, dank mine tunnels.

The remarkable experiences I have enjoyed while compiling materials for this book are largely due to the friendliness and cooperation of those with whom I have worked; miners, collectors, curators, dealers, cutters, mineralogists and photographers. To them this book with sincerest “Gluck auf (Good Luck)!”