The Silvane Collection
 In
the world of collecting there is always a small group of prestigious collections that is not well known.
This is the case with the Silvane collection, which was created over the last 25 years through the efforts
of Josep Amigó (1924-2008).
Devoted to his family, he decided to name his
collection the Silvane Collection, which is the result of his linking together the names of his two grand-daughters,
Silvia and Ana Elena (whose nickname was Anelen).
Sr. Amigó, as we knew him to be, was above all else
a collector and while over the years he had many collections, including trains, stamps, coins, etc, he
always said that minerals were the most important, so in the end he only collected minerals. He always
said that he could find new details, each unforgettable, every time he looked at a specimen, and that
was something that did not occur in any of his other collections.
Years ago he built a collection of
good quality minerals but then he got rid of them, as they did not fulfill his desire for systematic
variety nor represent his good taste. Then, in the mid 70s and start of the 80s, large finds were made
in the Kalahari, Touissit and India that produced an excellent chance to obtain new species. At the same
time the views about mineral collections modernized from the point of view of their patrimony, preservation
and the presentation of material. With all of this the mineral collecting bug within Sr. Amigó was
reawakened. His meeting with Jordi during the Expominer Mineral Show of 1985 and the purchase of a blue
Barite from the Moscona mine further animated him. From then on he was a faithful visitor to Jordi's
stockroom every time that Jordi came back from a trip or show, which enabled him to pick the material
he liked most. This chance to choose, along with the arrival of excellent material from Russia, Afghanistan,
Pakistan and, more recently, China, just reinforced and confirmed his passion.
Given time, discretion
and good taste, the Silvane collection grew until it contained more than 700 specimens, some of which
are exceptional but all of which were selected with the best taste and clear criteria. Sr. Amigó never
bragged about his great knowledge, but he always applied a clear principal in what he selected: apart
from liking it and its aesthetics the specimen had to connect with him. So it was this mixture of intuition
and good taste that came together to create this excellent collection, which is far better than the average
Spanish collection.
I especially recall the meetings we used to have
in Jordi's stockroom during which Sr. Amigó would tell us the 'whys', both for what he selected and what he rejected, all with his
caustic but fine sense of humor. These meetings often ended in front of a table that was well laid out
with great dishes and good wines. For him (and also for me) it was the corollary of a perfect mineral
session. Along with these meetings I recall with great satisfaction the frequent visits to his house
during which, apart from detailed discussions about minerals and mineralogy, we had the chance to touch
on a wide range of both divine and human subjects.
So, a precious collection, all of a very high
level, with no poor pieces or trash, in which Fluorite and Calcite are very well represented, since he
liked them a lot, but which also includes extraordinary specimens of fairly rare material, as he knew
when to listen (and weigh) advice. If someone recommended strongly a species that he did not know and
he connected with it, then he would end up pleased. Classics from Tsumeb, Morocco, USA, etc, etc, and
then modern classics from Russia, China and Pakistan-Afghanistan ennoble the collection, whose balance
between esthetics and rareness is very satisfactory.
I am certain that this collection will more than
match the wishes of many collectors who will have to (and need to) appreciate each and every one of the
specimens within it.
Carles Curto Milà
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Sr. Amigó
in our warehouse, in August 2004,
having
a good time looking for
specimens
for
his collection.
(...) but all of which were selected
with
the best taste and clear
criteria.
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