Bernie was a well-known and well-liked Melbourne-based mineral collector. He was active in the Nunawading and District Lapidary Club where I first met him. Bernie, with wife Margaret, were also foundation members of the Mineralogical Society of Victoria.
One of Bernie and Margaret’s favourite mineral collecting places was the Mt Isa-Cloncurry region in Queensland. He was also very keen on minerals from Broken Hill, New South Wales, and minerals from England, particularly Cornwall and Cumbria.
Generally, each mineral specimen label is numbered, but unfortunately, I am not aware of a catalogue of his minerals.
In my collection, I have a small number of mineral specimens received from Bernie directly, but after he passed, I was fortunate to be able to acquire quite a range. These came from either Margaret, through Cyril Kovak (CK Minerals), Peter Hall, and from other collector’s collections that Bernie had added to. These include Joan Lamond, Jo Price and others.
Some of the specimens in Bernie’s collection that made their way to me were from other collectors such as Chris Jewson (Cornwall), and Mike Leppington (Cumbria). Whilst not named on the labels, their handwriting is the identifier.
Below: Bernie and Margaret, 2006.
Below: Barite, Broken Hill, New South Wales. Width of view 11mm.
Below: Label from above specimen with Bernie’s characteristic numbering of M269. 8036 is my catalogue number.
