CCFMS Show Awards

| Mineral Awards| Fossil Awards | Lapidary Awards |

General Guidelines and Definitions

a) There are 3 categories of Show Awards

A) Mineral Awards (includes Ann Sabina)

B) Fossil Awards

C) Lapidary Awards

In the case of minerals and fossils the sub categories are: self–collected and open

b) There is a maximum of 2 awards in each category in any given year- in the case of lapidary this can be accomplished by specializing the category - see details in the appropriate categories.

c) Definitions:

Self-Collected: means that just you as an individual collected the specimens in the field
Open: means the specimens presented could be 100% self collected to 100% purchased or traded to somewhere in between, but in the judging process no points are awarded as to how the specimen(s) were acquired.

d) In the case of open and self-collected competition, a competitor must declare their intent prior to the show as to which sub-category(s) they are competing. A contestant cannot use the same specimens to enter both the open and self-collected, but can enter both sub categories (open & self-collected) with different specimens. This will avoid crossover problems

e) A club can enter the competition with a display case, in which case the club will be treated as an individual, and in the event they win the award, the prize will be awarded in the name of the club.

f) To host the awards, a club holding a show or conference or annual meeting must bid on a first come first serve basis to the CCFMS awards committee, stating which category(s) they are applying for. A club may host one, two or all three categories. (But they can’t bid to hold just one of the sub categories). If by the annual meeting no club has come forward those clubs that wish to host the awards for the following year may present their name, in the case of several clubs offering to host the same category, a simple majority vote will determine the host by the members present at the annual meeting.

g) There must be at least 2 competitors in any sub category for an award to be presented

h) The show awards consist of a double 5" x 7" picture frame with one half showing a photo of an appropriate specimen for the category of the award, the other half is a certificate of merit made out in the winners name. In all cases the CCFMS will try to get photos of Canadian specimens. This is a chance for photographers to have their specimen(s) picture on an award, with recognition given to the specimen as well as the photographer on each award given out for that year. Let the CCFMS executive know if you have photos available that can be used on the awards (This would include minerals, fossils and all categories of the lapidaries).

i) In the case of some clubs that do not put on a show, there is nothing precluding that club from making an arrangement with a near by club that does put on a show that they will provide 1 or 2 contestants in one category if the other club will match and put a bid in to host an award(s).

j) Junior awards Because these clubs come and go and at any given time there may only be a hand full - it is impractical for the CCFMS to give an award in this area.. We encourage local clubs that operate these programs to offer their own award at this level. If the junior member has a serious collection he or she can enter at the adult level, as there are no age restrictions.

A) Mineral Award awarded by: The CCFMS

The normal mineral category has two sub categories:

The Ann Sabina Award (which covers self collected with some restrictions)
CCFMS Award - Open category

It is feasible to adapt to the particular club hosting the award, which may want to specialize a particular aspect of the hobby - in the case of minerals this would likely be micro mounts. In which case the CCFMS awards committee must be given notice no later than 90 days after awarding the host for this award, so that it can inform other clubs of this specialty change. If the specialty rules the day - the 2 sub category awards would be self collected and open, and no Ann Sabina award would be given that year because micro mounts don’t qualify. The other restriction would be if a specialty is chosen in one year, that specialty, can’t be used the following year. If a club can think of other specialties (other than micro’s) they should seek approval from the CCFMS Awards Committee

i) Ann Sabina Award -Self Collected Sub Category

Awarded by: The Mineralogical Association of Canada

This award is presented to provide a form for the exhibit of self-collected Canadian minerals and a base for friendly competition amongst CCFMS members

Qualifications:

i) Must be a member in good standing within your own club and the CCFMS
ii) Previous winners need to allow 3 years to lapse before entering again. New minerals must be exhibited for each competition.
iii) Minerals must be Canadian
iv) Minerals must be self-collected
v) 10-20 minerals presented and labeled
vi) Size of specimens: Thumbnail to hand size

Judging:

Judging to be based on:

i) Quality of specimens
ii) Accuracy in labeling (name of minerals, location and classification)
iii) Rarity
iv) Showmanship (Layout of case)

Prizes:

Beginner $100.00 -- 1-5 years collecting
Advanced $150.00 -- 5+ years collecting

The only award given at the show itself is the standard CCFMS show award to be kept by the winner. Your cheque will be received as soon as MAC has notification of the winners (from the chair of the Awards Committee) and has time to process it (usually 3-4 weeks).

Administered by: CCFMS Vice President on behalf of The Mineralogical Association of Canada.

ii) Open Mineral Sub Category. Awarded by the CCFMS

Qualifications:

i) Must be a member in good standing within your own club and the CCFMS.

ii) Previous winners need to allow 3 years to lapse before entering again. New minerals must be exhibited for each competition for previous winners.

iii) Minerals can be terrestrial or ex-terrestrial and not restricted to Canada except Ann Sabina Award.

iv) The mineral specimens can be self-collected or purchased or traded

v) 10-20 minerals presented and labeled unless larger than hand size, in which case you can deduct 5 minerals for each oversized specimen but a minimum of three if all of them are oversized (caution you may loose points on variety)

vi) The size of specimens: micro-mounts to unlimited.

vii) Allowed in this open sub category would be slabs, flats and geodes, all with polished surfaces (at least on one side unless the geode is such that it is impractical to polish) whose sole purpose is to bring out the beauty of the stone. The intended use of the stone is display only and not functional such as bookends or ashtrays or jewellery.

viii) Synthetic specimens (commercially manufactured or home grown) will only be allowed for educational purposes, where the exhibitor is trying to teach and inform the lay public with proper labeling which includes the information and data needed to realize the educational potential of the exhibit

ix) Duplication of a species will be allowed under one condition, one mineral is alone the other in its matrix (i.e. pyrite dollar and one embedded in coal shale). Note quartz and amethyst are not considered duplicates. If one is trying to show the variety of form or colour (such as the various forms pyrite takes) the specimens will not be considered duplicates.

x) Minerals and materials embedded within plastic will not be allowed.

Judging to be based on:

i) Accuracy in labelling (name of minerals, location and classification)

ii) Rarity

iii) Specimen preparation (freedom of excess material etc.)

iv) Showmanship (Layout of case)

v) Quality (condition of crystals –bruises and flaws; size of crystals; crystal arrangement; clarity; freedom from excess foreign material; and the amount of identified material that is visible

vi) Variety

B) Palaeontology Award (fossil) Awarded by: The CCFMS

There are two sub categories for this award

Self-collected
Open category

Qualifications: (both open and self collected)

i) Must be a member in good standing within your own club and the CCFMS. If the fossils belong to a club then the club will be treated as an individual

ii) Previous winners need to allow 3 years to lapse before entering again. New materials must be exhibited for each competition.

iii) Fossils can be from any country or ex-terrestrial

iv) Fossils can be self-collected, purchased or traded in the open category and self collected only in the self-collected sub category.

v) 10-20 fossils presented and labeled unless larger than can be fitted in a standard case in which case reduce the number required by 5 from the minimum for each large one but if all large a minimum of three (note however you may loose points on variety)

vi) Size of specimens: Thumbnail to within reason.

vii) Minimum of 2 competitors in each subcategory.

Judging to be based on:

Labeling - each specimen should be labeled as to scientific name (genus & species), plant or animal, period of geological time, name of the formation in which the specimen was found (if available) and locality. Information common to all specimens may be shown on a single group label
Showmanship – shall refer to the ability of the exhibitor to use the material exhibited, background material, lighting and labeling and sufficiently attractive specimens to create a display which will be educational and will attract and hold the interest of the viewer
Quality of the specimens including attractiveness, perfection of the fossil, freedom from excess material and skill in preparation
Rarity
Variety of material – in terms of life forms and time units represented in the exhibit

C) Lapidary Award Awarded by: The CCFMS

The default is a single award General Lapidary for this category which will suffice to cover all the categories. However it is allowable by a particular club hosting the award(s) which may want to specalize a particular aspect of the hobby (this could be in 1 or more categories), i.e. gold wirework, silversmithing etc. – but no more than 2 specialties in any given year. In which case the CCFMS awards committee must be given notice no more than 90 days after the awarding the host for this award so that it can inform other clubs of this specialty change otherwise it is the default category. The other restriction would be if a specialty is chosen in one year, that specialty(s) can’t be used more than 2 years in succession.

Qualifications:

Must be a member in good standing within your own club and the CCFMS
Previous winners need to allow 3 years to lapse before entering again. New materials must be exhibited for each competition.
Lapidary can be any of the following *– general lapidary, cabochons, carving, faceted stones, jewellery and metalcraft unless a specialty has been declared by the club with appropriate notice
The material presented must be self-worked as much as is reasonably possible
10-20 pieces presented and labeled unless changed in the definitions below

Definitions:

General lapidary: Nodules and or geodes, halves (pairs or single) with polished surfaces and/or wholes with an area of the circumference polished. Under this definition would include flats, slabs, mosaics, novelties, spheres and tumbled stones.

Cabochons: These are defined as stones of a size that can be worn for jewellery and cut free hand without the benefit of a faceting or sphere cutting machinery. Shapes of stones can include besides the standard curved or dome shapes, other shape variations such as crosses, hearts, tear drops, flat topped stones and any free form shapes that exhibit both the skill and creativity of the lapidary. Limitation of pieces will be a minimum of 25 stones

Carvings: Shall be defined as lapidary material, which has been worked into figures and/or artistic designs. This would include; carvings in the round ,carved and finished on all surfaces, relief of all types which need not be finished on the reverse side i.e. cameos, transparencies- carvings which utilize light for their effect, one piece or composite carvings (multiple material to achieve the effect desired. The stone can be from soft to hard stone. A minimum of five pieces should be exhibited

Faceted Stones: These can use natural and or synthetic stones. Not more than 5 stones may be mounted in jewellery A minimum of 15 pieces

Jewellery & Metalcraft: Jewellery refers only to articles for personal ornamentation and wear. Examples: rings, tie clasps ( if a bolo it must have a cord), earrings, necklace, buckles (do not require a belt to be attached) etc. Metalcraft refers only to articles intended for general ornamentation and/or services. Examples; vases, table service, vanity boxes, ash trays, etc.

Judging to be based on:

Labelling: The lapidary specimens, shall bear labels showing the name of the material. Grouping of the same material need have only one label. Any descriptive terms desired may be placed on the label
Showmanship: shall refer to the ability of the exhibitor to use the material exhibited, the background material, lighting arrangement and labelling features to create a display which will be educational and will attract and hold the interest of the viewer
Quality: shall refer to colour, colour pattern, freedom from flaws, freedom from undesirable inclusions. Natural materials shall be used unless otherwise stated in the definitions above.
Variety of Work: each of the following will be considered a different type of work: polished flats, contoured polished specimens, cabochons, faceted stones, spheres, novelties, carving, bookends, mosaics, transparencies, doublets, triplets and composites. Sawing done by persons other than the exhibitor will be allowed where the purpose of the sawing is to prepare material for cabochons – but will not be allowed, if such sawing comprises an essential operation for the finished form, such as shaping material for bookends. The above applies to all definitions listed above except Jewellery & Metalcraft. The latter shall refer to the use of castings, appliques, engraving, forging, chasing, repousse, spinning, electro-forming, etching, piercing, granulation, metal inlay, scrollwork, chains, filigree, lamination, fusing, channelwork, and construction of bezels, prong mountings, hinges and box clasps. Variety of work shall also include surface finishing such as antiquing, pantinas, and other surface colouring, texturing, graving, electro-plating and heat colouring.
Workmanship: (lapidary treatment) – refers to shaping, symmetry and polish of the material; to precision of fitting in intarsia and related work; to shaping and surface finishing of carving; to correctness of angle in faceting. Craftsmen who demonstrate the ability to work a greater variety of material will receive a relatively higher score. In cabochon and faceting classes variety of cuts and/or shapes will be considered under workmanship. Size of pieces should be large enough to demonstrate exhibitors ability to work and form substantial areas and masses. In jewellery and metalcraft workmanship will refer to the finish of the metal, precision of fitting stones in mountings, how all ornamentation has been executed, and the lapidary treatment of stones, in the use of original designs as well as the ability to use old ideas to create jewellery of unique design