Those of us who live in the western United States live within a motherload of glorious sphere materials—specifically agates, jaspers and native opals.

Known for many classic localities, the Western states have produced gorgeous cutting stone in a complete rainbow of colors, patterns and unique characteristics. In this Spherical World, we will give you a brief survey!

Jaspers

Bruneau Jasper/Oregon
This elegant stone was found in the 1920s by a rockhounding couple named Kirby, who went on to become known for their large collection of handmade spheres. It is a glassy reddish golden brown material with beige segments often outlined with circular patterns.

Willow Creek Jasper/ Oregon
A similar look with  peachier coloring, Willow Creek is more prevalent today than Bruneau which is seldom found in anything larger than 1.5 inches.

Stone Canyon/San Miguel, CA
The predominant color in Stone Canyon is a golden yellow, but it can be found in combination with green, with blue, or with reds. This lovely stone looks breciated, but combines color in a fascinating way—almost as if it was a puzzle.

Morrisonite/Oregon & Idaho
Morrisonite is a stone that’s mined out, but pieces of it occasionally crop up on the market. The dominant color is a rich olive green, with gold or brownish offset and unusual patterning, seldom the same from piece to piece

Succor Creek/Oregon
Blue/green matrix contrasts with a yellow/gold pattern, mostly circular. These pieces often look like a bird’s eye view of the earth. We think Succor Creek is often overlooked.

Bigg’s Jasper/Oregon
This brown pattern jasper is a long time favorite, but is also pretty much played out. Every piece is unique. We have managed to horde a few good pieces, however.

Rocky Butte/Oregon
The dominant colors here are in the red/pink/ burgundy range.
This can take a nice polish and be very striking.
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SpiderWeb Jasper/Idaho
Small veining on greenish/ golden spheres that really looks like interlocking spider web markings.

Owyhee Jasper/Oregon
Golds, browns, reds…lots of nice earthtones. Also a nearly mined out classic locale. One variation is “Owyhee Sunset” jasper.

Harquehela Jasper/Arizona
Northern Arizona produces this pretty olive green and pink material which is sometimes almost banded.

Rojo Verde Jasper/Arizona
As its Spanish name implies, this jasper contrasts light red and pale green banding.

Polka Dot Mine/Oregon
This is fun material. Most of it really does have brown polka dots on a glassy white or bluish surface.

Burro Creek Jasper/Arizona
Lovely lavendar material  with different shadings.

Indian Blanket Jasper/Wyoming
This has lovely pink and lavender markings on a dusty off-white background. Usually the material is a matte finish, not a high polish.

Agates

Oregon Moss Agate/ Oregon
Fabulous colors—green, red, golden yellow. The colorful moss can be seen “inside” the stone, almost as if you were looking through a layer of glassy water.

Montana Moss Agate/ Montana
This translucent material is highly prized. Dendrites and other black or brown organic matter seems trapped in beautiful glassy white or blue see-through
agate. We have a great deal of this material which is not easily available any longer.

Graveyard Plume/Oregon
A long time favorite of rockhounds. Looks like outlined clouds against a creamy sky.

Mt. Airy/Nevada
Windows of startling glassy sky blue agate in a beige stone matrix. One of our personal favorites. Sometimes with druzy quartz or fortifications.

Black Rock Desert/Nevada
Blue-black windows in a reddish matrix. Quite unique.

Thunder Egg/Oregon
Earth’s agate nodules… Interesting surprises. Color ranges in blues, grays and beiges. The Native Americans believed that the gods tossed them at each other.

Maury Mountain/Oregon
Lovely red agate from a well-known location.

Oregon and Texas Tube Agates
Truly wonderful and unique. They form as chutes injected into rock. The lovely intricate patterning create very unique specimens.

Opal Butte Chalcedony/ Oregon
The most interesting spheres have a perfectly round white agate spot on the top, against a glassy gray agate body.

Thunder Bay/Oregon
A golden brown or beige material with some slight trimmings of orange.

Dryhead/Montana
Reds/peaches/rust colors in unique fortification patterns. The material is now only found in old rockhound’s secreted stashes.

Lavendar Sage/Oregon
Patches of purple agate against golden matrix, sometimes with druzy.

Sian Agate/California
Wonderfully patterned agates in browns, golds and sometimes a bit of rust or orange. Under-appreciated.

Chapinite/California
Often looks a bit like a roadmap with crisscrossing lines in a light matrix.

Nevada Chalcedony
Beautiful blue/purple agate veined with golden brown. Really stunning!

Red Hot Texas Agate
Just what it implies—a gorgeous vivid red.
Lysite Agate/Wyoming
Going, going, gone! We have one last piece of this classic agate with druzy pockets.

Opal

Oregon Opal/Opal Butte
These incredible and spectacular opal spheres just incite the senses. There are many with brilliant orange “windows” where you can look deep inside, some with “red-tinted” windows and some with clear windows that feature “bubble-like” configur-ations or—if you use your imagination—look like fantastic sci-fi cities under glass.

These are by no means the only treasures to come from this part of the world, only the highlights of wonderful materials that create incredible spheres!
 

A Reminder: Crystal Balls Can Be a Hazard!
At least twice while shopping at shows, we have prevented vendors from alighting their booths when they have placed newspaper under quartz crystal on top of wooden tables. Smelling burning paper, we alerted the dealer. Now comes a report from Shawnee, OK about a family that ignited a fire in the house by leaving a glass sphere on the couch in front of a window. Firefighters arrived in time to douse the flames coming from the couch and save the family.
 

TUCSON
REPORT

Here’s what we spotted on our most recent shopping trip:
 *Pretty Blue Diopsite from Russia
 *Green Smithsonite from Mexico
 *Rare Black Schungite from Russia
 *Unusual Glassy Black Jade from Australia
 *Thulite/Zoisite—Pink and Green!
 *Red Oyster Fossil from Morrocco
 *Bright Neon Green Gaspeite from Australia
 *Gemmy Green Apatite from Russia with Actinolite
 *White Saginite with interesting patterns
 *Great Mexican Agates—Laguna, Agua Nueva, Flame, Mexican Lace, Cathedral, Tube and the brand new Coyamito!
 *Clear Calcite that fluoresces, Terlingua TX
 *Argentine Yellow Onyx
 *Dark Green Orbicular Kambaba Jasper from Madacascar
 *Tiger Stripe Graphic Granite from Madagascar
 *Jaspers:Green Cloud (U.S.), red Tabu Tabu
  (Africa), Purple Burro Creek (Arizona)
 *Small spheres of large green tourmaline crystals in white calcite.
 

 OOOOOOOOOOOO

 Sphere Collector News
 One of our sphere enthusiasts, Tom Heckhaus tells us that he has “un-retired” by taking a position as administrator of a small earth science museum on Long Island.  He says: “The museum has the largest mineral and geological collection in New York State, so myself and my sphere collection are right at home!”
 If you have interesting news about yourself or your collection, please email us
 at marcela@iswest.com or jackie@spherestoyou.com.  Please put “Sphere Collector News” in the subject line.
 

Need Pouches, Pillows or Stands?
Spheres To You has a wonderful array of ways to display or carry your precious spheres. Come visit or call us. We love to meet our customers.  Please call (818) 991-5143 or email spheres@iswest for an appointment:. Or go the website to see our selection and order: www.spherestoyou.com
 

THE SPHERICAL WORLD
Editor:  Jackie Lapin
Published By:
Sphere’s To You
 PO Box 1270
Agoura Hills, CA 9l376
Phone: (8l8) 991-5143
FAX: (8l8) 707-3543
E-mail address:
Spheres@iswest.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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