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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 7, 2015 16:48:14 GMT -5
From the time when I cut my first rock way back in the early 50's, I've had a love affair with the picture jaspers from the Owyhee's and surrounding area. I've decided that it's time we had a special thread dedicated to these beautiful picture jaspers.
In Hans Gamma's book, Picture Jaspers, Treasures of the Owyhee area, Oregon, there are listed 76 varieties of named jaspers from this area. He also has 2 pages of unnamed jaspers from the area. Since publishing his book, several new named varieties have been discovered and mined for the lapidary market. Many of these mines were short runs, and very little material came to the market. I currently have 22 varieties. !0 of which are not mentioned in the book. As soon as it warms up enough to work in my shop, I'm going to start polishing slabs of each to add here. Material that I have more than one slab of, I'll cut a cab to add.
I invite all who have a love for picture jaspers to post your own pics. All I ask is please, no African or Chinese jaspers. Lets keep this thread strictly for Picture Jaspers from the Owyhee area.
If at all possible, please use the name of the type of jasper you're posting. I realize that often picture jasper slabs are purchased without a type name attached.
Word of warning when purchasing picture jasper. If in doubt, don't. Just today while going through an ebay listing I spotted 2 unscrupulous sellers trying to sell Mookaite jasper cabs as Owyhee picture jasper.
So, until I get things polished, bring on the pics.
Don
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Post by snowmom on Mar 8, 2015 14:17:56 GMT -5
oooh I can't wait to see what gets posted here. Loving it already!
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Post by woodman on Mar 8, 2015 15:04:56 GMT -5
I collected this a few years ago in the Owyhee area. Not sure if it is Jasper or something else. Anyone recognize it? I need to polish some of it.
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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 8, 2015 15:31:42 GMT -5
oooh I can't wait to see what gets posted here. Loving it already! The specimen pieces I've been buying should start showing up around Tuesday or Wednesday. I'm setting up 8" wheels so I can polish them for display. That's going to take a while, so I may take pics wet to post. I also have to dig through boxes & bins in the basement for specimens I all ready have. Quote, I collected this a few years ago in the Owyhee area. Not sure if it is Jasper or something else. Anyone recognize it? I need to polish some of it. Read more: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/post/798334/quote/69856?page=1#ixzz3TpNxzcIrWoodman, those shades of purple are unusual colors for the Owyhee's. The nearest I can find in the books is a variety called Morrisonite. Do you remember where in the Owyhee's you collected that ? There are many unnamed varieties from the Owyhee's. It may also be one of those. It will take a beautiful polish. Don |
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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 8, 2015 15:43:14 GMT -5
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Post by captbob on Mar 8, 2015 16:08:35 GMT -5
This is a 6 lb chunk of Wild Horse picture jasper. It's not as exotic as some jasper varieties from the Owyhee area, but it is one of my favorite types and can yield some "scenic" slabs & cabs.  |
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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 8, 2015 17:20:53 GMT -5
Wild Horse is one of my favorites. Mainly for the pictures it produces. Every new cut is a surprise. I don't have any chunks that large, but I have about 40 lbs in smaller stuff.
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bushmanbilly
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Post by bushmanbilly on Mar 8, 2015 17:54:15 GMT -5
Purchased this from RR&G a while back. Original Owyhee. Will see what else I can find and will post them.  |
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bushmanbilly
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Post by bushmanbilly on Mar 8, 2015 18:02:18 GMT -5
More Original Owyhee.  Not sure if this is from the Owyhees. Steamboat Ridge.  |
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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 8, 2015 19:12:45 GMT -5
Yup, did a little map search & Steamboat Ridge is almost in the middle of the Owyhee's. You have a nice chunk of hard to get Steamboat Ridge jasper.
Your middle pic is what would be called "original Owyhee". The top pic is another found in the Owyhee area, but not called original Owyhee. I'll do a little bookwork, and see if I can put a variety name on it for you.
Many sellers & rock shops put the name "original Owyhee" on anything that comes from the Owyhee area. Most do have variety names.
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Mar 8, 2015 20:48:23 GMT -5
Great stuff so far. This is either Rocky Butte or Ridgecrest -- can't remember. Rocky Butte usually has a little blue. For some reason I couldn't get this image sharp.
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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 8, 2015 21:09:42 GMT -5
The browns fit Ridgecrest better. Rocky Butte tends to have pinkish and salmon colors mixed with the browns. But there are variations in all of the Owyhee area jaspers.
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Mar 8, 2015 21:30:55 GMT -5
I have some rough laying around somewhere..I will find it and slab some...
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Post by catmandewe on Mar 8, 2015 22:10:24 GMT -5
I collected this a few years ago in the Owyhee area. Not sure if it is Jasper or something else. Anyone recognize it? I need to polish some of it.
That comes from the Haystack Butte area, there is a hill that has literally tons of that color and pattern, lots of it has small pin holes in it so it has never really been high on the collecting list but if you coat and/or seal it it comes out really nice. Tony |
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Post by catmandewe on Mar 8, 2015 22:20:42 GMT -5
Original Owyhee or as it was called by the original miner, Bruce Markus, Owyhee Gem picture jasper. I call this one Blue Moon Rising.  |
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bushmanbilly
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Post by bushmanbilly on Mar 8, 2015 22:36:07 GMT -5
I have some Belvade and gem Owyhee to add.  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2015 22:36:24 GMT -5
Original Owyhee or as it was called by the original miner, Bruce Markus, Owyhee Gem picture jasper. I call this one Blue Moon Rising. What a wonderful orb! Perfectly placed, too. |
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Post by Rockoonz on Mar 8, 2015 23:08:28 GMT -5
The slab I've been using for my avatar lately, Morrisonite.  An Owyhee cab that went out in a trade box awhile back.  |
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adrian65
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Post by adrian65 on Mar 8, 2015 23:48:44 GMT -5
Original Owyhee or as it was called by the original miner, Bruce Markus, Owyhee Gem picture jasper. I call this one Blue Moon Rising. Fantastic slab, Tony! Adrian |
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Mar 9, 2015 0:01:11 GMT -5
Original Owyhee or as it was called by the original miner, Bruce Markus, Owyhee Gem picture jasper. I call this one Blue Moon Rising. Outstanding Tony! Is that body of water in the foreground Lake Owyhee? I've been meaning to ask if you're old enough to have known a prospector/miner/collector from Nampa named E.W. "Hardrock" Pape? He was sort've a mentor of mine when I lived in Nampa. I spent many hours at his house looking at slabs and rough and listening to his stories of Owyhee County prospecting. He brought a big chunk of gemmy Bruneau jasper to a Nampa gem club meeting and it was the first of that material most of us, including local old-timers like Ed Brandt, had ever seen. That was a long time ago. |
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