George A. Ashley Collection, circa 1900-1988 LA.2018.0905
Finding aid prepared by Ana Ochoa.
San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library
2018-10-10
1788 El Prado, Balboa Park
San Diego, CA 92101
library@sdnhm.org
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library
Title: George A. Ashley Collection
creator:
Ashley, George A. (George Alfred), 1904-1992
Identifier/Call Number: LA.2018.0905
Physical Description:
1 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): circa 1900-1988
Abstract: The George A. Ashley Collection consists of photographic material documenting minerals and mines in San Diego County. The
collection includes photographic prints, negatives and memorabilia compiled by George Ashley, a noted San Diego County miner
and lapidary artist.
Container: 92
The collection is open to researchers by appointment. Contact the Research Library Director, San Diego Natural History Museum.
Copyright may be reserved. Consult the San Diego Natural History Research Library Director for more information.
[Identification of item], George A. Ashley Collection (LA.2018-0905). Research Library, San Diego Natural History Museum.
George Alfred Ashley was born on November 24, 1904 near the city of Orange in Orange County, California. He moved to Ramona
when he was 11 years old and lived there for 20 years. He first became interested in minerals when he was in 4th grade when
some of his fellow students brought quartz and garnet crystals to school. George quit school by the end of his freshman year
of high school and instead focused on doing ranch work, cutting stones and making jewelry. He and a Ramona machinist designed
and built a faceting head for cutting gemstones. Ashley eventually learned to cut Mesa Grande and Ramona tourmaline. He met
Louis Spaulding, owner of the Little Three mine in Ramona, and re-discovered the McFall garnet mine situated several miles
southwest of Ramona. In 1947, he bought the entire Hiriart Hill including the San Pedro, Anita, White Queen, Naylor, Katerina,
El Molino, and Vandenberg mines located in Pala, California. This made him the dominant force in San Diego County morganite
and kunzite mining.
Known as one of San Diego County's pioneer miners and gemstone cutters, Ashley opened a room in his house for mineral displays
and hosted school groups for lectures and tours of one of his mines. During the last 40 years he invented machines which turned
blocks of gemstones into polished bowls earning him numerous local and national awards. Most of his bowls are carved gem materials
found in western states with the exception of some bowls made of gems from other countries. Ashley donated his carved bowl
collection and other items to the San Diego Natural History Museum on December 8th, 1990. He is believed to have died on May
31, 1992 of apparent heart failure in Pala, California.
The collection, spanning 1900-1988, consists of photographic prints, negatives and memorabilia compiled by George A. Ashley.
The files in the collection contain 30 photographs in total; the majority are black and white prints with descriptive captions.
The collection primarily documents minerals and mines in San Diego County. People featured in the collection include Josie
Scripps and Frederick Sickler.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Minerals
Mines and mineral resources
San Diego County (Calif.)
Sickler, Frederick M. (Frederick Marcellus), 1879-1963
Scripps, Josephine L. (Josephine Louise), 1910-1992
Memorabilia 1948
(1) Cardboard box 5 in. x 6 in. Includes: one Kodachrome transparency (1 in. x 1.5 in.); four negatives of minerals and mines
(2 in. x 3 in.); four labels in different media; an Ashley Gem Mines business card and a first place ribbon for the San Diego
County Fair in Del Mar California.
Mounted photographs circa 1900
Black-and-white photographs circa 1954-1971