Show WORLD collections f GIVEN TO smithsonian INSTITUTE by peter in zin tw two of the largest most complete private mine mineral dalcol collections elect lect ons in in afie world were recently donated to the smithsonian institute I 1 n s at washington D C frederick A canfield of ferre monte on mine hill near dover N J who died in july 1926 was the donor of one collection embracing about specimens and accompanied by an endowment of to be used for its increase col washington A roebling of trenton N J builder of the brooklyn bridge who also died last july was the donor of the other collection embracing about apeci ments and accompanied by an endowment of to properly house and care for it the writer is personally acquainted with the canfield collection as he many times had the pleasure of seeing and admiring its wonderful minerals while engaged as assistant superintendent for a mining contractor of dover N J in 1920 mr Can fields hospitality and his pleasure in showing anghis his collection was known far and wide many availed themselves of the opportunity to see the mineral marvels to be found there the collection was a very old one as many of its minerals were in the family for over years it was in two sections these comprising about 1000 specimens collected by mr Can fields father and displayed in upright cases with glass doors these doors never were opened from 1853 evidently the year mr Can fields father died until their transfer to the smithsonian institute these minerals were found early in the history of this country in mines which have long since shut down the minerals from them consequently no longer are available As the elder canfield had access to many mines especially those of new jersey the specimens collected are among the finest in the world and perhaps may never be duplicated the younger mr canfield who bore the same love for minerals his father had began a collection of his own this comprises the second section As he was a mining engineer and traveled all over the world he accumulated a large assortment sort ment of many rare and choice minerals often under trying conditions one specimen a meteorite found in the interior of brazil I 1 believe and weighing about 15 pounds he carried for hundreds of miles over a wild and rough country until he came to a town from which he could send it to america in the Ws 80 s mr canfield was superintendent of the tilly foster iron mines near brewster N Y he obtained from there some of the finest specimens known and tilly foster IS is famous for its wonderful minerals a silver tin germanium sulphide was named for mr canfield it is a rare mineral found chiefly in bolivia the roebling 6 collection comprising about specimens caimens is is among the finest private collections in the world it is especially noted for its wonderful gems many of which are the largest and rarest of their kind known among others there is a large wine colored topaz crystal from froin brazil a carat peridot from the island of st john in the red sea which according to legend ahl once adorned the imag image e of a sa saint int a 64 carat black diamond fr from om africa a black opal from nevada the largest known the largest known group of tourmaline crystals in the world from california and many other exceptionally fine specimens the value of these two collections is not known as yet but with their acquisition the smithsonian institute now possesses in addition to its already large collection one oi of the finest largest and most complete collections of minerals crystals and gems in the world |