Tag: galleries

Easter Gallery from ‘The Carver’ Agate Field Collection

Easter Gallery from ‘The Carver’ Agate Field Collection

Another two weeks of exploring, cutting and polishing stones from ‘The Carver’ agate field. Please visit the new Maine Gallery entitled ‘Easter Gallery’ to see them. These stones are from several different areas of The Carver agate field, hence, many look quite different. These specimens display some of the best colors and patterns. Try viewing them on a large screen if you can. Also try to see the amazing stones’ structure via enlargement. Not included in this gallery is another ‘first time seen’ from ‘The Carver’ agate field. The next posting will feature this ‘first’!

7+ Pound Banded Blue Agate with Geological Oddity Found Inside

7+ Pound Banded Blue Agate with Geological Oddity Found Inside

The ‘deep pit’ on The Carver agate field ‘popped’ a 7+ pound,  6 1/2″ x  3 3/4″ banded blue agate beauty! While the ‘deep pit’ photo gallery on this website has lots of photos of ‘deep pit’ beauties, this specimen contains a large yellow inclusion (on the left side of the photo below) which has a blackish dendritic agate formation in and on its surface. A dendritic agate is a tree-like or fern-like image.  The word dendrite is Greek for “tree-like.”  Normally, these dendritic formations from The Carver have formed on the outside surfaces of a geode or nodule, as shown below in photo 2849.  What is geologically odd is that this dendrite formed on the yellow material which broke off and fell into the gas bubble pocket, which was then encased inside the larger blue agate when it later formed. I believe this was likely an 8-step geological process, […]

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New from the Carver Agate Field: Is It Jasper? Agate? Jasp-Agate?

New from the Carver Agate Field: Is It Jasper? Agate? Jasp-Agate?

These definitions will help us decide! Jasper:  opaque (light does not penetrate); any color of chalcedony which is a micro-crystalline (requires magnification for crystals to be seen) form of quartz. Agate:  a banded translucent (lets light through) chalcedony of any color, most often found in nodules, geodes, or cracks in silicaceous volcanic rocks. Jasp-agate:  a chalcedony with characteristics of both agate and jasper.  The basic component is silica (quartz) which may be either micro or macro crystalline (crystals can be seen without magnification).  It can be opaque, transparent or translucent (sometimes all three appear in the same specimen).  It can be banded like an agate or it can be like a jasper with agate structures which form within cracks or fractures or vugs (small cave-like voids) in jasper. If you would like to see some of the Carver Agate Field jaspers and jasp-agates, take a look at the new JASP-AGATE […]

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5 NEW Diversity Galleries for 2019

5 NEW Diversity Galleries for 2019

Wow! Three months collecting rocks on ‘The Carver’ in the fall of 2018 and January 2019 has yielded amazingly varied and beautiful geodes, agates, and jaspers. I have selected 108 specimens that I believe show the extraordinary variability of color, banding, and sagenitic inclusions (those neat weird shape things you can see hidden in each rock specimen). There are 5 galleries in this set 2019 Diversity Gallery #1 2019 Diversity Gallery #2 2019 Diversity Gallery #3 2019 Diversity Gallery #4 2019 Diversity Gallery #5 If you have questions or comments about any specimen, I would like to hear from you. ‘The Carver’ agate field is all about geological diversity.  I hope you enjoy viewing these new galleries.  

New Year 2018 Diversity Galleries

New Year 2018 Diversity Galleries

Fifteen Agate Types Found in Small Area on “The Carver” A small, approximately 4 +/- acre area of ‘The Carver’ has provided all of the stones that are referenced in this posting and in the New Year 2018 Diversity Galleries (March 2018).  In addition to the citrine scepter, subject of a blog posting dated January 21, 2018, this small area has produced a staggering array of beautiful and diversely colored gem stones.  How all of these stones, including citrine and amethyst, were formed in such a small area is the subject of ongoing geological inquiry with the help of geologist Bill Halepeska of Midland, Texas. Visit the Diversity Galleries to see more examples: Diversity Gallery 1 Diversity Gallery 2 Diversity Gallery 3 Diversity Gallery 4 Examples:

The Carver Family Jewels

The Carver Family Jewels

New gemstone gallery! This collection showcases mostly cabochons and free form gemstones, hand cut and polished by John Carver. They dramatically depict the diversity of the gemstones which have been found over the last 8 years on The Carver. View these new stones at the Designer Gem Stones Gallery 1. This new gallery is the first of several, so stay tuned!