Rocks and Minerals, Nov/Dec 2006
This interesting book is another photographic essay of minerals in or passing through a particular setting, in this case specimens that have been in the stock of dealers Stuart and Donna Wilkensky. Other representatives of this publishing trend include Masterpieces of the Mineral World, highlighting the fine specimens in the Houston Museum and The Smale Collection – Beauty in Natural Crystals. Each of these books presents a collection of mineral images that offer subtle insights into the collecting philosophy, taste, and prioritization of desirable attributes of those responsible for the specimens’ acquisitions. The very selection of the particular specimens chosen for inclusion in the books as well as photographic techniques used are equally reveling.
This book begins with a nicely done introduction to the Wilenskys and their business. It makes it clear their devotion to minerals as objects of beauty and intrigue and equates fine mineral specimens with works of art. The final paragraph in this section puts it well, saying that “no museum can ever posses all of the beauty in the world but we can enjoy having our own private museum in photographs. This book’s sole purpose is to enjoy the beauty of minerals.” The following fifty-nine pages present photographs of sixty-eight specimens. A few are shown front and back; others have enlargement insets of a particular portion of the specimen. Of these, seven are of fluorite, six are tourmaline, five are beryl var. aquamarine, and three each illustrate apatite, beryl var. morganite, and quatz. Some of the specimens are quite well known and have been seen in other publications; for those fortunate enough to visit the major shows, others have graced a varety of displays.
Little information is given for each piece other then it’s name, locality, and size; a few are attributed to a particular source or collection, and old labels are shown with several. The book closes with a mineral index.
The quality of the photographs, each taken by the senior author, is uniformly good, as is the quality of printing and accuracy of color. Specimen dimensions are given in inches, a somewhat welcome break from the modern trend toward metrification. There is a lack of uniformity in naming specimens. In some cases the species is given, in others only the variety is indicated, and still in others only the group is mentioned. One has the feeling that the authors have been systematically compiling a photographic record of the best specimens passing through their business and have chosen to periodically share their favorites with the rest of the collecting world through the publication of a series of books which this is only the first. For this they are certainly to be commended.
-Robert B. Cook
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