Collector Spotlight: László Kupi
1) How many years have you been collecting and what started your passion?
My grandfather was a miner and collector. He worked all around the Hungarian mines; that time the country had quite developed exploration and mining activity, especially for bauxite, coal and base metals. The first specimens I met with were from his collection. It was pretty hard to get any minerals from abroad during the Soviet era in Hungary, but my grandfather had several friends in Germany and he could exchange a lot of interesting and colourful specimens. I literally grew up in front of his cabinets during my parents was building our house. I spent hours listening my grandpa’s stories and learning as much about minerals as possible. He also had a lot of books I liked to read, one of them was written by one of the great Hungarian mineralogists about to organise an exhibition of the best Hungarian mineral specimens for the Millennium. There is a chapter in that book of my grandpa’s collection where from a few specimens he offered for this great event. After my father became a part of the family, he also has been bitten by the mineral bug, and we spent a lot of vacations together hunting for minerals in the countryside. I can’t remember the first specimens I collected, but they must be some very simple ones; calcite or gypsum crystals. We also organised small mineral shows in the local school, and asked minerals from the participants in return for the tables. That time huge amount of Transylvanian minerals was available for relatively cheap, and our mineral collection started to be contoured. We opened a small museum of minerals in my hometown based on that collection what completed with my grandfather’s collection later. It is still open for the public, and if I have time, I gladly guide the visitors.
The path was clear: I became a geologist. Graduated in Budapest in 2001. First in Hungary, I was working on a lot of different projects even during my PhD years I could continue collecting minerals. I bought my first stereo microscope and starting to photograph minerals. Then a long break happened when I was working as an exploration geologist in different countries, even different continents. I loved that life, however I had less free time and less opportunity to collect minerals. Most of the project areas were simply poor of collectable specimens, and the main focus was to discover the ore bodies rather than collect specimens. But my passion never faded, I often visited mineral shows and museums if I had time and chance.
A good 4-5 years ago a couple of friends of mine pulled me back into the mineral world. My main focus was to photograph them initially, but I shortly realised there is no going back.
2) What's the focus of your collection and has that changed through time? Why?
First, I was collecting Hungarian minerals, but most of our mines were shortly abandoned and waste dumps were reclaimed so I had less chance to find good specimens. I also found lack of colour and diversity in our minerals. I also had a short elusory towards micromounts, but now I love to see my specimens with naked eyes.
I’m still searching for my way of collecting. I insist to keep most of my heritage of my father’s and grandpa’s collection, and keep them as a museum to help people, especially the next generation getting in touch with this mesmerising world of minerals.
What I want to achieve in my recent and future collection is to keep the best specimens and buy (or collect) only what I find perfect. If I don’t like for the first sight or find any imperfections or compromise, that could not be the one I’m looking for. The main criteria are aesthetics. The impression of a perfect specimen is a constellation of these features (or a few of them): balance, contrast, colour, shape, lustre, transparency, crystal habit, balanced matrix, etc. I prefer matrix specimens, and I love the challenge to find the good pieces among cheap minerals as well. Provenance and rarity are not really the most important features for me, but if they come together with aesthetic is just a cherry on a cake.
There is another collection what I’d love to keep building: my mineral photo collection. Some specimens are and will be released from my physical collection, but they always be a part of my photo repository.
3) What do you like to do outside of mineral collecting? (hobbies, job, music taste, etc).
My main profession is exploration geologist, but that is not so family-friendly job. Months far from home, in harsh environments, jungles, deserts… after a good ten years I spent abroad, I wanted to establish. Since I have a daughter, I try to spend more time at home what the pandemic helped a lot about. Although, I would try exploration in collection minerals If I would have a chance.
Mineral photography, as a plan B is also very limited now due to travel restrictions. So, among most of you, I’m also looking forward to travel again, and hope to meet you in the next mineral shows.
I have a lot of hobbies not related to minerals, including cooking, wine, drawing, reading, hiking, riding bike, target shooting, scuba diving, listening to music (in very wide range from Mendelssohn to Rammstein).
4. What's your favorite species? Why?
Like many others, I love tourmalines, although they are a group and not species. First of all because they are gemstones in general. Their colour variations are simply infinite. Unfortunately they are expensive, especially the gemmy, colourful and matrix pieces. In the other hand the most beautiful tourmalines are pegmatite minerals and I love gem pegmatites. One of my main goal would be on site when a huge gem pocket is open and photograph tourmalines in-situ.
5. Is there anyone who has inspired you in this field? Do you look up to the collection of someone in particular?
Actually, my first teachers were my grandpa and my dad. I think I am among those few lucky ones whose fate was set in stone (literally) very early. My mineralogy lecturer inspired me a lot, too. He is also a collector and I remember when others were struggling to recognize minerals, it was the most exciting and beloved lecture I have ever had.
Since I started my mineral photography career I had a chance to meet some fantastic people and see their extraordinary collections. Not just to see but talking about minerals and through them, another, new world is opened for me. I don’t want to nominate these people one by one but among them I never be bored even for a second. Their collection, and stories are not just inspiring but also could help a lot to see my own specimens through much more critical eyes.
6. What are some unexpected things you’ve learned about mineral collecting and/or the mineral community since joining YMC?
I’m turning 39 this year, so I have a good year and a bit among YMC officially (hope I can stay as a formal member for the rest of my life as a “young in heart” collector), but during this short period I was just amazed how wonderful people I could find within the group. Not only collectors, but people. If someone asks for any help -including myself-, I could be sure that help comes within a minute. When I was a teenager this hobby was slightly different. We didn’t have internet, neither social media what could be an incredibly powerful tool to forge mineral people together. I hardly knew collectors from abroad, but now we all can be connected nevertheless where the globe we are from. This is simply great!
7. Do you photograph your own (or even others’) collection? Do you think is important?
I take a photo or two of all of my specimens. It is not only important to admire them even when I’m not at home, but there are several advantages to have a good photo of my specimens.
It helps to make an online (or if they are printed, even offline) catalogue where a specimen could be identified not only from its number but from appearance, so even if the labels are damaged they could be restored easily. Of course, copies of the catalogue must be stored physically separate places and being updated on regular basis.
It is important for publications. Several magazines and books have high demand on good quality photos of nice (or rare) minerals.
We can share our minerals with the public via social media or even on photo exhibition.
Insurance reasons: since every mineral specimen is unique, a photo could help to identify them in case of any loss (theft or damage) and could be a perfect proof towards an insurance company. Some are even requiring for their insurance.
We almost all sold or gave mineral to others. If I have a photo of those specimens, they always be mine somehow.
Next thing I really want to learn is mineral videography. I tried a couple of times, but it requires a totally different vision and way of thinking. Why there are several great mineral photographers can be found, only a very few videographers could be mentioned.