This latest book on the spectacular Steve Smale collection is the third to be published by Gloria Staebler’s Lithographie Ltd. Company. The first volume, The Smale Collection: Beauty in Natural Crystals, appeared in 2006, and the second volume, The Smale Collection II, was published in 2021. This new edition features another 125 elite-quality specimens, most of which have never been published before. Unlike volume 2, which had photos on every page with a minimal caption at the bottom, each photo in volume 3—all of them by Jeff Scovil—occupies one page, but with a caption providing the size, locality and provenance in the center of the otherwise blank facing page.

The book begins with a brief Foreword by Gloria Staebler, discussing the production of first two volumes in the series, and the 7-color printing process used in the second and third volumes. Following that is a reprint from volume 2 of Steve Smale’s own description of his collecting aesthetic and philosophy. At the end is a convenient index of specimens for easy reference.

The attractive, matte-finish binding with metallic copper foil stamping is solidly constructed and the paper quality is nothing short of luxurious.

WEW