bone2stone Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Well another Fossilmania show has come and gone. I have been attending these shows since it's inception in the early 80's. What was once a fossil only show/sale/trade venue has turned into "just whatever they display" type of show. Lots of "just plain rocks", gemstones jewelry and yes fossils, most of which I have handled many times. There were a few recognizable friends there behind those, select few fossil only tables, but it is so different this year than from years gone by. No longer friends getting together having a great time camping fireside chats swapping lies and stories true or otherwise. It seem that every year fewer and fewer people who were part of a comradery that stood for years attend. Admittedly disappointing now, back when the show was held in the Oakdale Park grounds we always had a great time. Since moving the show to the Somervell County exposition hall, it peaked around 2010, it has fallen short every year since. No longer a source of neck hugging, friends and fun (with few exceptions) the show has changed. It is doubtful that I will attend anymore unless they go back to "fossils only" sale/show. If you have attended in the past and have experienced this slide; post your thoughts. Surely there are some who share this view and long for the days of friendship and sharing a love of fossils with each other. "It's a rock when found on the ground" "Pick it up and keep it, It's a specimen." Bone2stone (Jess 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heteromorph Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Unfortunately, my first and only vist to Fossilmania was last year, so I never got to experience it in its heyday. There were some local fossils and local dealers, but also other dealers and various other rock related stuff. There was one lady with a big booth for her “fossils” who was supposedly selling fish and other specimens from Solnhofen. I went over there and thought that her stuff seemed sketchy, and later found out that most of not all of her product were indeed complete fabrications, possibly Chinese. Sad to see such an abundance of fakes at such a small show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Rico Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 4 hours ago, bone2stone said: Surely there are some who share this view and long for the days of friendship and sharing a love of fossils with each other. Don’t know about this show but it does not sound great. No need to pine for lost days of friendship your here just look around more friends than you can imagine and we all love them there fossils. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFOOLEY Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 I've never been to FossilMania. I attend Albuquerque's Gem and Mineral shows where there's usually just a few booths that have some fossils...if it was described as a fossil show, that would be disappointing as heck. Jess, you've always been passionate about fossils...why not start your own show?...fossils only. I'm pretty sure people would attend the 'Bone to Stone Fossil Show'...2019! 1 "I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in. Of what avail are forty freedoms without a blank spot on the map?" ~Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) New Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 Seems ike everything changes with enough time. We have a show here in Helena that I have not attended for the last 3 years. Is more jewelry, beads, even toys with nothing to do with rocks minerals or fossils and even the small amount of fossils are all the same as everywhere else. But lots and lots and lots of jewelry. Just not interested in going to that kind of show anymore. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bone2stone Posted November 4, 2018 Author Share Posted November 4, 2018 On 11/1/2018 at 8:43 AM, PFOOLEY said: I've never been to FossilMania. I attend Albuquerque's Gem and Mineral shows where there's usually just a few booths that have some fossils...if it was described as a fossil show, that would be disappointing as heck. Jess, you've always been passionate about fossils...why not start your own show?...fossils only. I'm pretty sure people would attend the 'Bone to Stone Fossil Show'...2019! Well there was a time I did have my own show/sale. Was told I had more to see than the museum there in Glen Rose. No exaggeration there. Sold a few items but not enough to keep it going. Spent finding time giving talks free and explaining why I would not tell them exactly where I found them. Some people made attempts to sway me into believing everything I had was all the same age...trilos through Pleistocene material. What a laugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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