Daniel and Marvin at the Cliff County Fair

I first met Marvin about eight years ago and since this time he has become my best friend in this area. Marvin has been an active Lapidary for years, and at 87 he is still hard at it nearly every day. My first involvement with Marvin revolved around Fire Agate, I'd just moved south 250 miles to this part of the New Mexico and knowing that there was Fire Agate in the general area I started asking around about the material, everyone would say you need to talk to Marvin Ellis. Marvin was a little leery at first but over time it became obvious that myself and my good friend Jack Hatfield had a true interest and we were also crazy enough to want to cut this most difficult to cut properly stone I have ever encountered.

Below cut by Daniel Lopacki



Marvin tested Jack and my patience and perseverance by giving us hints as to areas we might try, Jack and I spent many a day out combing the hills finding "Fire Agate" only to have Marvin tell us close but not Fire Agate. After some months and tons of research on Jack's part, eureka we actually started to find actual Fire Agate. When we finally found the right thing it even got Marvin excited, we'd find a new area show Marvin the new find and nearly every time we all three would return the new find area the following day. Once Marvin saw how serious we were, he trusted us enough to show us some of his Fire Agate areas and with Marvin's knowledge of Fire Agate and with his tricks for polishing and such that he freely shared with us has saved Jack and myself many years of trial and error.

As Marvin is far from being a "Spring Chicken" and his eyesight is not what it used to be, he no longer cuts Fire Agate. You will see below that when he was cutting Fire Agate he cut some very interesting and creative stones.