Collector Spotlight: Rory Boyan
1. How many years have you been collecting and what started your passion for minerals?
Id have to say Ive been an avid collector for about 13 years now, but the real passion started when I was very young. Im on the far end of the “Y” in YMC @ 36, so this was back in approx 1989/990. The real fire that sparked my passion for mineral collecting I think I can trace back to two very specific moments in time. The first was back around age 6 or 7. I was looking for topics for a school science fair project and the suggestion of Geodes was suggested to me by my Mom. At the time I was thinking to myself this would be an easy project to just “get through” as I didnt much care for school science fair projects much up to that point lol. Reading about Geodes in a few books Id found at my local book store I could walk to was the option in those days, no internet then, lol. After my mother saw a passion growing in me she took me and my brother to the science museum in/near Worcester Ma where I could see some minerals and geodes in person, and even got to pick out my own geode and have an older fellow who worked there help me and my brother crack ours open! For a youngster like me this was an AMAZING experience! I asked my mother if she knew of any other places we could go to look at minerals and maybe even find (buy) a Thunder-Egg. Id always loved reading about and seeing the star shapes and wanted to see some in person and have one of my own.
Im not entirely certain how my mother found this person, and even more amazed that after all this time I remembered the name, which I later looked up his name in the Mineralogical record Biographical Archive to find he was actually a very well know mineral collector! My mother took me to the home of Anthony Thurston. I remember a particularly older man walking me, my brother and mother down into his basement which was setup like a real mineral display with wall to wall minerals! Blacklight displays, crystals of all sorts, but the moment the hook was set was when Mr Thurston called my attention to a very small hole in the wall which was some type of magnifying lens into a VERY tiny geode that had the brightest green spikes shooting through the top and botton of this teeny little rock. It was like looking into Emerald City, but it wasnt an emerald. That image has stuck with me my entire life as well as the feeling of awe that came with it.
As I got older the collecting bug sort of faded as other interests came and went, then later on in my early 20s the passion began to be re-ignited. Attending different music festivals and concerts exposed my to all types of rock hustlers, gem collectors and mineral dealers which continually exposing me to my biggest weakness – Tourmaline. I didnt know what they were, I remember asking people “What is this and what are you carrying them around for?”. Higher end crystals Id never really been exposed to, and ALWAYS founf myself drawn to and picking out peoples Tourmaline crystals anytime I had some extra funds to spend at these music festivals. Eventually I asked “Where do you get this stuff?” - the answer most people said - “The Tucson gem show”(We’ll get back into that later lol). As my Tourmaline and other gem collection began to grow as fast I remember one weekend where a good friend I had just met at a weekend of Moe concerts in NY started showing me his little Tourmaline collection he would take out on the road with him. This guys little Tourmaline pencils BLEW MY MIND! All sorts of color combos Id never seen, the gemmiest watermelon crystals I never knew existed (some incredible Paproks), long slender crystals that glistened and gleamed in the light and I couldnt take my eyes off the terminations!?!? Up to this point most of the music festival rock hustlers hadnt shown me the juice apparently. I truly fell in love that day...and that day just so happened to be February 14th, Valentines day. I fell deeply in love with Tourmaline crystals on Valentines day in 2009, in a small little hostel in New York City.
2. Whats the focus of your collection and has that changed through time? Why?
As mentioned perviously it all started with egodes and thunder eggs, but eventually it was alll about GEM CRYSTALS! I didnt recognize at first how much I was drawn to single gem crystals. Most preferred were isolated gem crystals free of matrix. I wanted variety, I wanted clarity, I wanted luster and most of all I wanted EVERY color I could find. This probably was partly fuled by Tourmaline and its wide color varieties I slowly began to see. Also why I have to say Tourmaline is the focal point of my collecting currently, but I do love a good thumbnail of ANY variety/group/species. In my early 20s it was alll about the Tourmaline though, as my appreciation for smaller and more perfect crystals hadnt yet reared its head. For a few years any concert/festival I went to and any collector I could find – we were talking gems and Tourmaline. I never really was drawn to matrix specimens, still arent really, but if you could show me a colorful shiny rock you had my full attention. As more unique pieces came into my life and the addiction grew to far beyond what music festivals could offer me, I finally took the leap and took a road trip from Massachusetts with a very good friend to Tucson Arizona for the gem show in 2011.
Pulling into Tucson I ended up at the Riverpark Inn and discovered GEM HEAVEN! Table after table FULL of crystals, all sorts of colors, room after room and thats just ONE hotel??! This particular show then fueled an even stronger passion for Kunzite and where the mineral dealing bug also bit me. I knew I had to come back every year (and with more and more money each time, LOL). This also really helped me focus my love and attention for more gem crystallized minerals. Vesuvianites, Garnets, crazy Quartzes and Amethysts, but still, and just live pretty much every year, I cant get enough Tourmaline. I think its safe to say the only thing these days which really sparks a passionate interest and takes my attention away from Tourmalines are top quality and superb thumbnails.
3. Is there anyone who has inspired you, or do you look up to the collection of someone in particular?
As fas as early inspiration is concerned it certainly all started with Anthony Thurston. Although I dont own any of his old minerals (though I would VERY much like to) its hard to overlook the impression that mans home and collection had on me at a very young age. In my later years getting back ito the collectiing and appreciating of gems its hard to overlook the folks in the music festival and touring scene who really exposed me to more and eventually pointed ot towards the Tucson gem show. Some folks I forget their names but never a face. Ill always remember dreaddy Pat (REALLY wish I had facebook back then to stay better connected, and to have a whole name lol). I always looked forward to randomly running into him at music festivals and seeing whatever he brought back from Tucson (before I was going). Another soon to be familiar face was Gemmy Jay. His displays stuck out and typically blew my mind on a regular basis as to the intense beauty you could find in single gem crystals. Other regulars like “Smoke” were always on the scene, and another long time and very good friend who many know just like I do, by only one name – Micah. The anticipation I had running into Micah at festivals to always learn about something new and somehting Id never seen before was always a fond memory and involves some of my older and favorite pieces in my collection. If theres one collection id be dying to see, its Micah’s.
Later, as my gem show attendance grew, I became familiar with more famously known and world renouned collectors/collections. The Ralph Clark Collections is stunning, old Lazard Cahn pieces that predate WW2, Steven Chamberlain pieces, Melanson and Hawthornden pieces, and how can you not mention Rock Currier...seeing a theme w/ these names here? - THUMBNAILS
4. Have you been to any shows, and if so, whats your favorite part of them?
Ive been lucky enough to be attending the Tucson Gem show every year since 2011. So far just as a buyer, but eventually I do intend to have a room someday, for now though, the buying experience is just sooo fun adn I dont ever want to “miss out” on that thrill of the hunt. Ive also been able to attend the Springfield Gem show as well as every gem show in Denver since 2015.
There are soo many reasons which keep me coming back to gem shows. Great people Ive been lucky enough to get to know for years, meeting new friends and discovering new things about minerals or finding that “new find” are always on the list, but still, the most excitement and anticipation simply comes from “going to the gem show”. Waking up everyday like its Christmas, always something new to see and bring home for your collection or to get that “wish list” item that FINALLY found its way to you is always something Ive loved. Being around all those amazing gems and minerals (for most people Ive chatted with) even seems to have some real effects on the people who truly love this hobby. I get goosebumps thinking of some minerals or seeing them in person, the anticipation and excitement of walking into a room that almost feels like its there just for you, with every shape and color youve been looking for right there at your fingertips – and theres DOZENS more of them too, almost more than you think you could handle. It can get overwhelming sometimes, thats why I found out after just a couple years of attending the Tucson gem show that I need to be there for the entire show and hopefully leave no stone unturned.
5. Where do you see yourself as a collector in the next 5 years?
As far as a collector is concerned Id have to say that in the next 5 years Id really like to begin to better label my collection and in times where I have the ability to vend at Gem shows I also plan to begind to display parts of my documented collection for enjoyment. Ive began to see and appreciate the value of “collection displays” more and more as time passes. In the beginning of my collecting days I thought the idea of showing off the entirety of my collection to be “show off-ey”, where as now I see it to be have real value to other avid mineral collectors. Seeing labeling methods, mounting techniques and famously assembled and at times award winning displays is becoming more and more interesting to me. It also gives you a great glimpse into the mind of a collector/ gem lover. The idea of Thumbnail competitions is also VERY appealing to me and im hoping to begin to increase my knowledge of the display aspect and eventually be displaying thumbnails for competition. Over the next 5 years the idea of “setting up” at a big gem show, displaying parts of my collection and eventually “competing” with my collection seems to be a very fun aspect for me to begin to experience and enjoy.
6. What specific aspect of the hobby would you like to learn more about?
That would have to be mineral labeling and display for competitions. You might think - “Learning more about mineral display?….just display them?”, but as time has passed it certainly feels much more complicated when considering the aesthetic aspect of a well labeled mineral collection and the value a good display will add to your own collection or gem show setup. Chosing the right cardstock, paper type, fonts, inks?? Soo much to consider when realizing a proper label will pass the test of time and be around long after the original owner/labeler have passed. Labeling, and nice labels, gives a collection a vastly higher value when the education and provenance can be added to it, and this is somehting ive greatly overlooked in my earlier years as both a collector and mineral dealer, adn YES, I know its something I NEED to work on more these days. Getting some nice labels and learning how to display and what characteristics of BOTH the minerals AND label bring to the table for competition purposes is something Im trying to absorb at gem shows now when viewing the amazing displays put forth by collectors from all over the world.
7. How many specimens do you have in your collection and do you have a bar set as to how many you want?
As far as how many, its not yet an “exact” number, but I easily have to have over 2000 specimens. With the Tourmaline crystals alone Ive lost count after about 300, probably around 2-300 beryl crystals as well. Collecting thumbnails is like this sometimes, lol. As much as I tell friends I dont “love” Quartz, a collection of easily over 200 specimens says otherwise too. When it comes to the more randomized parts of my collection it gets pretty deep there also. I collect Spinels, Apatites, Euclase, Vesuvianites, Epidotes, Dolomites, Vivianites, and Rhodos- the crosites, donites and dozites too, just to name a few ;)
...Thats what fuels the passion too, just when you think youve got enough of one mineral or think its time to slow down and pump the brakes on collecting theres always something new, OR something old you never knew about, to fuel that fire over and over and over again, and for me, I dont think this will ever “get old”.