The Pinch Collection at the Canadian Museum of Nature

The collection of William (Bill) Pinch, acquired in 1989 by the Canadian Museum of Nature for a reported $3.5 million(US) is one of the most important private mineral collections assembled during the 20th century. Pinch's collection is exceptional in that, unlike most collectors, his primary focus was to get "best of species" examples of as many rare (and common) minerals as possible. He achieved this on a middle- class income by leveraging his exceptional enthusiasm and knowledge, relationships with museum curators including the singular Paul Desautels, and willingness to trade. 

This outstanding, coffee-table sized book, written and illustrated by photographer and mineral writer Michael Bainbridge, is a triumph in the field of collection catalogs. 

Pinch was most famous for the rare species he collected, and these are well- represented in the book. Many specimens of collector favourites such as Fluorite, wulfenite, and other illustrated. While you will come to this work for the exceptional photography of outstanding specimens, you will also find a well researched biography of Pinch. 

Bainbridge makes it a point to put Pinch's activities into historical context. which makes this book much more interesting. The biography is followed by a collection of overview organized by locality, just as Pinch organized his collection in his home in New York. 

This book ends with a detailed species and locality index, making finding specific photos very easy.